Ukraine, U.S., and European officials advance peace process talks
Ukrainian, American, and European officials held new discussions on the peace process, focusing on security guarantees and post‑war recovery for Ukraine. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said the talks included himself, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, alongside European national security advisers Jonathan Powell of the UK, Emmanuel Bonne of France, and Günter Sautter of Germany. Rustem Umerov and President Volodymyr Zelensky represented Ukraine.
Witkoff explained that the goal was to move negotiations forward “in a practical way” under President Donald Trump’s peace initiative. He said participants discussed strengthening security guarantees, developing deconfliction mechanisms, and advancing a prosperity package to ensure Ukraine’s resilience after the war. Coordination will continue into the new year.
Umerov confirmed he briefed Zelensky on the call and said further meetings with U.S. and European partners are planned in January, including an online session of national security advisers in Kyiv on January 3.
The talks follow Zelensky’s recent meeting with Trump in Florida, where the Ukrainian leader said the U.S. peace plan was 90 percent agreed, with unresolved issues over territories and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Zelensky added that he and Trump reached full agreement on security guarantees.
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ISW: Kremlin tightens draft system amid heavy losses in Ukraine
The Kremlin is intensifying its reliance on conscription and reservists as Russia struggles with mounting battlefield losses in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts say the measures highlight Moscow’s growing manpower crisis, with casualties outpacing recruitment despite aggressive mobilization efforts.
On December 30, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree authorizing active reservists to attend special training camps beginning in 2026, officially framed as a measure to protect critical infrastructure. A day earlier, he ordered draft offices to operate year‑round, replacing the traditional spring–fall cycle. Russia plans to conscript 261,000 people in 2026, following 135,000 mobilized in the fall of 2025.
Ukraine’s Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russia recruited about 406,000 soldiers in 2025, but losses exceeded 410,000. ISW estimates Russian forces suffered an average of 83 casualties per square kilometer of territory operated in 2025, underscoring the inefficiency of offensive operations.
Analysts warn that deploying reservists into combat risks destabilizing Russia’s domestic balance, breaking the tacit understanding that most citizens would remain insulated from the war. Reports also indicate the Kremlin has formed assault units staffed by women and expanded recruitment under the guise of infrastructure protection in at least 20 regions.
Finland inspects vessel suspected of cable damage in Baltic Sea
Finnish authorities have inspected a vessel believed to be linked to recent damage to undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland, President Alexander Stubb announced Wednesday.
The Baltic region has faced heightened security concerns following repeated disruptions to power lines, telecom connections, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Stubb said Finland remains vigilant, stressing on X that the country is “prepared for security challenges of various kinds” and will respond as needed.
Zelensky welcomes Romania and Croatia to PURLDefense Initiative
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Romania and Croatia for joining the PURL initiative and announcing their first contributions, calling the program vital for strengthening Ukraine’s defenses. The initiative, launched in August, allows participating nations to pool resources to purchase American weapons, including Patriot missile systems and other critical capabilities.
According to Zelensky, 24 countries have now joined the effort, ranging from European allies such as Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states to partners including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Contributions have reached $4.3 billion, with nearly $1.5 billion pledged in December alone. The funding has already enabled eight assistance packages, with two more in progress.
Zelensky said the growing coalition demonstrates international commitment to Ukraine’s security and brings the country closer to peace and stability across Europe as the war continues into 2026.
Ukraine reports over 10,000 Russian troops captured since invasion
Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War says more than 10,000 Russian military personnel have been taken prisoner since the start of the full‑scale invasion, with the number of foreign fighters among them steadily rising. The “I Want to Live” project released comprehensive statistics for the first time, noting that in 2025 alone, more captives were recorded than in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Officials report that between 60 and 90 Russian soldiers surrender weekly, with peaks of 350 per week in August 2024. Captures have been concentrated in Donetsk’s Pokrovsk and Bakhmut districts, the Kursk region, and Zaporizhzhia’s Polohy district. About 7 percent of prisoners are foreign nationals from 40 countries, with two to three identified each week this year.
Data show most captives are rank‑and‑file contract soldiers, many recruited from prisons or private military companies. Nearly a quarter said they were coerced or deceived into service, while 40 percent have criminal records. Prisoners range in age from 18 to 65, with many suffering from chronic illnesses.
Ukraine has exchanged more than 6,000 prisoners back to Russia, most in 2025, though at least 237 former captives were later killed or went missing after returning to the front. Kyiv accuses Moscow of slowing exchanges to gain leverage in broader negotiations, despite agreements to swap 1,200 detainees under the Istanbul framework.
EU’s Kallas calls Russia’s Valdai attack claim a ‘deliberate distraction’
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas dismissed Russia’s assertion that Ukraine targeted President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai, describing it as an attempt to divert attention from peace efforts. She said Moscow’s narrative is designed to undermine progress made by Kyiv and its Western partners, stressing that the aggressor’s claims should not be accepted given Russia’s record of striking civilian infrastructure.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged that Ukrainian drones attacked Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region on December 29, claiming 91 drones were destroyed. The Defense Ministry later reported intercepting 112 drones nationwide, including 41 over Novgorod, leaving the fate of about 50 drones unclear.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the accusations, warning they could serve as cover for new Russian strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump also said Putin informed him of an alleged attack, calling the development “not good.”
Russian diplomat says EU ties could shift under new Commission
A senior Russian foreign ministry official suggested that relations between Moscow and the European Union may improve once a new European Commission is in place. Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the ministry’s Department of European Problems, told Izvestia it is “too early to say” the dialogue is permanently broken.
Maslennikov argued that sanctions imposed on Russia have harmed the EU itself and predicted Brussels would eventually need to reassess its approach. He emphasized that Russia will remain a neighbor on the Eurasian continent regardless of political tensions, making long‑term engagement unavoidable.
Ukraine police seize massive cache of illegal weapons in 2025
Ukrainian authorities reported seizing thousands of firearms and millions of rounds of ammunition from illegal circulation over the past year. According to the National Police, more than 8,000 guns, 2 million cartridges, hundreds of grenade launchers, tens of thousands of grenades, and several tons of explosives were confiscated in 2025. Nearly 5,000 criminal cases tied to arms trafficking were opened.
The Interior Ministry noted that under a law allowing voluntary declaration of weapons, citizens disclosed more than 15,000 firearms and 7.7 million rounds of ammunition. However, fewer than 400 weapons and just over 68,000 cartridges were actually surrendered.
Officials have long warned that uncontrolled access to weapons remains a serious problem. The issue intensified in 2022 when local authorities distributed arms widely at the start of Russia’s invasion. By early 2024, estimates suggested Ukrainians possessed between 2 and 5 million unregistered weapons. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko acknowledged that crimes involving firearms are rising and predicted the trend will continue.
Lukashenko says Putin rejected calls to target Ukraine’s leadership
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin dismissed proposals from advisers urging strikes on Ukraine’s decision‑making centers. Speaking after a drone attack on Putin’s residence in Russia’s Novgorod region, Lukashenko said “hotheads” had pressed for Hazel missile retaliation against President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders, but Putin refused.
Lukashenko emphasized that throughout the conflict neither side attempted to kill the other’s head of state, describing the drone strike on Putin’s residence as “terrorism at the state level.” He suggested Zelensky may have been linked to the attack, though he added the Ukrainian president “did not know what he was doing.”