🔗 Share this article Leader Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Is Ten Percent Off from Peace, Yet Not at Any Cost During his year-end speech, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a potential peace agreement was 90% ready. "The deal is 90% complete, 10% is left," he noted. "This is far more than simply numbers." A Deal Needs Robust Assurances, Not a Fragile Truce Zelenskyy made clear that his country desires peace but not at "any price". "What does our nation want? An end to hostilities? Yes. At any cost? No," he said. "We want a conclusion to the conflict but not the destruction of Ukraine." "Is the nation tired? Extremely. Does this mean we are prepared to capitulate? Any person who thinks so is profoundly mistaken," Zelenskyy added. He expressed skepticism about Russian aims, suggesting that should forces withdrew from the Donbas region, the war would not end. "Withdraw from the eastern regions, and everything will end. This is how deception sounds," he commented. EU Leaders to Discuss Post-Conflict Guarantees Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that EU allies and partners meeting in Paris in early January will establish firm commitments towards protecting Ukraine following any peace deal with Moscow is brokered. Reciprocal Attacks Reported At the same time, accounts of military actions continued. An official from Ukraine's SBU reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles hit an oil depot in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a significant fire. In Ukraine, a Russian-launched drone attack hit apartment buildings and the power grid in Odesa, injuring several people, including minors. Local authorities confirmed four buildings were affected and considerable harm was caused to two power facilities. Contested Claims Over Aerial Incident Regarding previous allegations of a UAV attack targeting a property of Russia's president, American and European officials are in agreement that Ukrainian forces did not target the event. An article indicated that American national security agencies concluded the alleged attack "did not happen". Reacting, Russia's ministry of defense published a video claiming to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian-made drone. An official from Ukraine's foreign ministry dismissed the footage as "laughable" and suggested it demonstrated a lack of credibility in fabricating the narrative. European Official Labels Claims a "Distraction" Kaja Kallas described Russia's assertions "a deliberate diversion". "No one should believe unfounded claims from the aggressor," she said. Additional Developments DPRK Involvement: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media praised troops serving in an "alien land" in a New Year address. Intelligence assessments indicate the country has sent a significant number of troops to support the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Restrictions Extension: United States authorities have reportedly given a short-term exemption from sanctions to a Serbia-based, largely Russian-controlled oil company until 23 January. This entity manages the country's only oil refinery.