Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed Kyiv’s desire to end the war with Russia next year through diplomatic means. He stated that talks with US President-elect Donald Trump would be taken seriously, with Ukraine focusing on achieving peace through negotiations. Zelensky believes the war will end sooner with Trump in power. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasised the importance of positioning Ukraine to protect its interests before any future talks, stressing that the conflict will ultimately be resolved through negotiations. However, German Ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, stated it was not yet the right time to discuss peace efforts. This comes as Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine, causing widespread damage and power outages. The attack targeted multiple cities and critical infrastructure, with over 120 missiles and 90 drones fired. Amid these attacks, Poland mobilised its air forces to respond. Additionally, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian BUK-M1 missile system and have been using mines to hinder Russia’s counteroffensive efforts in the Kursk region.
