🔗 Share this article President Zelensky Says Ukraine Was Ten Percent Off from Peace, Yet Not at Any Possible Price In a New Year's Eve speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that a possible peace agreement was ninety percent prepared. "This deal is 90 percent complete, 10% remains," he remarked. "And that is much more than simply numbers." A Deal Needs Strong Assurances, Not Weak Truce Zelenskyy emphasized that his country wants an end to the war but not at "any price". "What is it that our nation want? Peace? Absolutely. At any cost? No," he declared. "Our goal is an end to the conflict but not the destruction of Ukraine." "Are we exhausted? Very. Does that imply we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply wrong," he added. He voiced doubt about Russian aims, stating that even if forces pulled out from the Donbas region, the war would not cease. "Withdraw from the Donbas, and everything will end. That is how deception sounds," he commented. European Leaders to Discuss Post-War Security In related news, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that European leaders and allies meeting in Paris on 6 January will establish firm commitments towards protecting Ukraine after a potential peace deal with Moscow is brokered. Reciprocal Attacks Reported Meanwhile, reports of hostile actions continued. An official from Ukraine's security service reported that Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles struck an oil depot in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a significant fire. In Ukraine, a Russian drone attack hit apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding several people, among them children. Local authorities confirmed four buildings were damaged and significant harm was caused to a couple of power facilities. Contested Claims Over Drone Incident Concerning previous allegations of a UAV attack aimed at a residence of Russia's president, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukraine did not target the incident. A report stated that US security agencies concluded the alleged attack "did not happen". Reacting, Russia's ministry of defense published a footage purporting to show fragments of a downed Ukrainian-made unmanned aerial vehicle. An official from Ukraine's ministry of foreign affairs ridiculed the evidence as "laughable" and stated it showed a lack of credibility in fabricating the story. EU Diplomat Calls Claims a "Distraction" The EU's top diplomat described Moscow's claims "a deliberate distraction". "No one should believe unfounded allegations from the aggressor," she remarked. Additional Developments DPRK Involvement: North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly hailed troops serving in an "alien territory" in a New Year address. Intelligence assessments indicate North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to support Russia's invasion in Ukraine. Sanctions Reprieve: United States authorities have reportedly granted a temporary exemption from sanctions to a Serbia-based, largely Russian-controlled energy firm until late January. The company manages the country's only refinery.