Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that plans were in place for him to meet US president Donald Trump soon, amid hopes of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.
Earlier, he had hinted at progress on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, following a “really good conversation” with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on Christmas Day.
Ukraine said it used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery on Thursday, reporting explosions at a site supplying fuel to Moscow’s forces.
The Ukrainian military said it targeted the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, adding: “Multiple explosions were recorded. The target was hit.”
Officials said the plant was one of southern Russia’s main producers of petrol products and was “directly involved in supplying the Russian Federation’s armed forces”.
The UK authorised Ukraine to deploy Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia last year.
Separately, Ukrainian long-range drones hit oil product storage tanks at the southern port of Temryuk in the Krasnodar region and a gas processing plant in Orenburg, around 1,400km from the Ukrainian border.
Key Points
- Ukrainian president Zelensky says he plans to meet Trump soon
- Zelensky holds 'really good' Christmas Day peace talks with Trump envoys
- Ukraine says British missiles hit Russian refinery as drone attacks spread
- Russia sees slow but steady progress in Ukraine peace talks
Russian drones damage foreign-flagged vessels, Ukraine says
08:14 , Shaheena UddinUkraine's deputy prime minister said on Friday that Russian overnight drone attacks damaged Slovakia-, Palau- and Liberia-flagged vessels in ports in Ukraine's Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.
Ukrainian officials said Moscow aimed to isolate Ukraine from the Black Sea and divide civilians.
There were no casualties following Friday’s attacks, according to a statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksiy Kuleba, on the Telegram app. However the strikes did cause power cuts and damage elevators and civilian warehouses in the Odesa region.
The drones also caused damage to a locomotive and a freight car at the northwestern Kovel railway station, around 60 kilometres (37.28 miles) from Poland.
"Despite Russia's deliberate terror, Ukraine's logistics system continues to function," Kuleba said.
Russia did comment on the issue.
Ukrainian president Zelensky says he plans to meet Trump soon
07:30 , Namita SinghUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had agreed to hold a meeting with US president Donald Trump in the near future, as diplomatic efforts intensify to bring an end to Ukraine’s war with Russia.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky wrote on social media platform X.
Rustem Umerov reported on his latest contacts with the American side. We are not losing a single day. We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – with President Trump in the near future. A lot can be decided before the New Year. Glory to Ukraine!
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 26, 2025
Ukraine president Zelensky's cryptic Christmas wish for Putin
07:00 , Namita SinghVolodymyr Zelensky has appeared to wish for the death of Vladimir Putin in a Christmas message after Russia continued to bombard Ukraine with missiles and drones.
In a video posted to X on Christmas Eve, Mr Zelensky said that “despite all the suffering that Russia has brought, it is not capable of occupying or bombing what matters most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity”.
Appearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Mr Zelensky added: “Today, we all share one dream.“And we make one wish – for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater, we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Report:
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
Russia sees slow but steady progress in Ukraine peace talks
06:30 , Namita SinghRussia sees “slow but steady progress” in peace talks with the United States over Ukraine, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
“In the negotiation process on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, I mean in the negotiation process with the United States, there is slow but steady progress,” she said.
Zakharova added that western European powers were trying to torpedo the progress and suggested that the United States should counter such moves.
Zelensky holds 'really good' Christmas Day peace talks with Trump envoys
06:00 , Namita SinghUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he spoke on Thursday for about an hour with US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner about how to end the war with Russia.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas that we discussed. There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and this concerns formats, meetings and, certainly, the timeline,” Zelensky said on the Telegram app.
Trump has been pushing for a deal to end the nearly four-year-long war, and in recent weeks peace efforts led by Witkoff and Kushner have been slowly inching forward.
Earlier this week, Zelensky presented a 20-point draft peace plan that he described as the main framework for ending the war.
The draft is a slimmed-down version of an earlier 28-point plan that the United States previously discussed with Russia and that was widely seen as favouring Moscow, including demands that Kyiv cede territory and limit its armed forces.
However, key territorial issues remain unresolved in the new 20-point draft, Zelensky said, adding that a meeting with Trump would be required to resolve the most sensitive questions.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow was analysing documents on ending the war that were brought to Russia by its special envoy Kirill Dmitriev from the United States.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, planned to hold another conversation with US negotiators later in the day.
“We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective and reliable,” he said.
Watch: 'May he perish' says Zelensky in Christmas address
05:30 , Maira ButtAppearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Today, we all share one dream.And we make one wish - for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves.
“But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater, we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Russian court sentences opposition leader and Putin critic to six years in prison
05:15 , Namita SinghA court in Russia on Thursday convicted a pro-war activist and critic of president Vladimir Putin of justifying terrorism and sentenced him to six years in prison.
Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front movement that opposes Putin and is affiliated with the Communist Party, was arrested last year.
According to Russian independent news site Mediazona, the charges against him stem from an article Udaltsov posted online in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Those activists were convicted earlier this month and handed sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison.
Udaltsov has rejected the charges against him as fabricated. On Thursday, he denounced the verdict as "shameful" and said he was going on a hunger strike, Mediazona reported.
According to the court ruling, the activist will be serving his sentence in a maximum security penal colony.Udaltsov was a prominent opposition figure during the 2011-12 mass protests in Russia, triggered by reports of widespread rigging of a parliamentary election. In February 2012, he took part in a meeting that then-president Dmitry Medvedev held with various opposition figures.
Russian authorities have ramped up their crackdown on dissent and free speech after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine, relentlessly targeting rights groups, independent media, members of civil society organisations, LGBTQ+ activists and some religious groups. Hundreds of people have been jailed and thousands of others have fled the country.
In December 2023, a Moscow court sentenced Udaltsov to 40 hours of compulsory labor for violating procedures relating to organising a rally after he was detained on Red Square, where he tried to unfurl a flag with the image of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, according to Russia's state news agency Tass.
Udaltsov was previously imprisoned in 2014 and sentenced to 4 years on charges related to his role in organising a 2012 demonstration against Putin that turned turbulent. He was released in 2017.
Zelensky hints at progress in peace talks after 'really good' conversation with Witkoff
05:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukrainian representatives and US negotiators have discussed ways to bring “real peace closer” during a conversation on Christmas Day.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelensky said on Telegram. “There are some new ideas on how to bring the real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”
Earlier, we reported that the Ukrainian leader had taken part in a conversation with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and businessman Jared Kushner.
Poland intercepts Russian plane over Baltic, reports airspace breaches from Belarus
04:45 , Namita SinghPoland scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea and said dozens of objects entered its airspace from Belarus overnight, warning the incidents during the holiday period could amount to a provocation.
“Earlier today, over international waters in the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified and escorted out of their area of responsibility a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace,” the Polish army said yesterday.
Countries on Nato’s eastern flank have remained on heightened alert for potential airspace violations since September, when three Russian military aircraft breached Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes, days after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace.
Poland’s National Security Bureau said several dozen objects crossed into Polish airspace from the Belarusian side, with four so far identified as likely smuggling balloons.
“The mass nature of the airspace violations, their occurrence during the holiday season, the assessment of the Russian aircraft’s activity in the Baltic Sea, and similar incidents recently recorded in Lithuania may indicate a provocation disguised as a smuggling operation,” it said.
The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Putin critic sentenced to six years in prison by Russian court
04:30 , Maira ButtA Russian court sentenced a pro-war activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin of justifying terrorism to six years in prison on Thursday.
Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front movement that opposes Putin, who is also affiliated with the Communist Party, was arrested last year.
According to Russian independent news site Mediazona, the charges against him stem from an article Udaltsov posted online in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation.
Those activists were handed sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison after being convicted earlier this month.
Udaltsov has rejected the charges against him as fabricated. On Thursday, he denounced the verdict as “shameful” and said he was going on a hunger strike, Mediazona reported.
Putin critic sentenced to six years in prison by Russian court
Putin told Bush Ukraine was 'part of Russia', according to newly released transcripts
04:00 , Maira ButtRussian president Vladimir Putin told former US president George W Bush that Ukraine was a part of Russia, according to newly released transcripts.
The comments are said to have been made in April 2001, according to the Telegraph.
“What really happened? Soviet goodwill changed the world, voluntarily,” Putin is reported to have told Bush at a summit in Slovenia.
“And Russians gave up thousands of square kilometers of territory, voluntarily. Unheard of.”
He added: “Ukraine, part of Russia for centuries, given away. Kazakhstan, given away. The Caucasus too. Hard to imagine, and done by party bosses.”
Ukraine says British missiles hit Russian refinery as drone attacks spread
03:38 , Namita SinghUkraine has struck a major Russian oil refinery using British-supplied missiles, Kyiv said, in an escalation of attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure.
Storm Shadow missiles hit the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, triggering blasts, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
“Multiple explosions were recorded. The target was hit,” it said on Telegram.
Ukrainian officials said the facility had been a key supplier of diesel and jet fuel for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.
London authorised Kyiv to use Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia last year, with the first confirmed strikes reported in November.
Separately, Ukrainian long-range drones hit oil product storage tanks at the southern port of Temryuk in the Krasnodar region and a gas processing plant in Orenburg, around 1,400km from the Ukrainian border. Russian officials said two tanks caught fire in Temryuk, with flames spreading across about 2,000 square metres.
Both sides have intensified strikes on energy sites in recent months, as Kyiv seeks to curb Russia’s oil revenues.
Elsewhere, Russia said there was “slow but steady progress” in talks with the United States, though foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused western European countries of undermining negotiations.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said talks with US figures had produced “good ideas” on moving closer to peace.
Who is French political scholar Laurent Vinatier?
03:34 , Namita SinghLaurent Vinatier was arrested in Moscow in June 2024. Russian authorities accused him of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while gathering information on Russia’s “military and military-technical activities” that could be used to undermine national security.
He is serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The arrest came amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Paris, following comments by French president Emmanuel Macron about the possibility of deploying French troops to Ukraine.
Vinatier’s lawyers asked the court to impose a fine, but in October 2024 a judge sentenced him to three years in prison. France’s foreign ministry described the punishment as “extremely severe” and called for the scholar’s immediate release.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, detentions on charges of espionage and the collection of sensitive information have become increasingly common amid what critics describe as a highly politicised legal system.
Beyond condemning Vinatier’s sentence, France’s foreign ministry urged Russia to abolish its foreign agent laws, which subject those designated to heightened government scrutiny and sweeping restrictions.
Violations can result in criminal prosecution.
The ministry said the legislation “contributes to a systematic violation of fundamental freedoms in Russia, like the freedom of association, the freedom of opinion and the freedom of expression”.
Vinatier is an adviser to the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Switzerland-based non-governmental organisation, which said in June 2024 that it was doing “everything possible to assist” him.
Ahead of the verdict, Vinatier appealed for leniency, citing his two children and his elderly parents, whom he supports.
Kremlin says Moscow made an offer to France regarding a French citizen imprisoned in Russia
03:03 , Namita SinghThe Kremlin on Thursday said it was in contact with the French authorities over the fate of a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia has made "an offer to the French" regarding Laurent Vinatier, arrested in Moscow last year and convicted of collecting military information, and that "the ball is now in France's court".
He refused to provide details, citing the sensitivity of the matter.
French president Emmanuel Macron is following Vinatier's situation closely, his office said in a statement.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said on Thursday that all government services are fully mobilised to provide consular support to Vinatier and push for his liberation as soon as possible.
Pope Leo XIV calls for 'respectful' dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in first Christmas sermon
03:00 , Maira ButtPope Leo XIV dedicated a portion of his Christmas sermon to calls for peace between warring nations across the world, including Russia and Ukraine.
The head of the Catholic Church said that the people of Ukraine were being “tormented” by violence.
“May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” he said on Christmas Day.
Elsewhere, the pope expressed concern for Palestinians in Gaza, drawing parallels to Jesus pitching a “fragile tent”.
“How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” he asked.
Polish jets intercept Russian plane over the Baltic
02:00 , Maira ButtPolish jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, which was flying close to its airspace, the NATO country's army said.
Countries on NATO's eastern flank have been on high alert for potential airspace incursions since September when three Russian military jets violated Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes just days after more than 20 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace.
“This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified, and escorted from their area of responsibility a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace,” the army said.
It also said that at night, objects were observed entering Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus.
“After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving in accordance with the wind direction and speed,” the army said.
It added that part of the airspace over northeast Poland's Podlaskie region, which borders Belarus, was temporarily closed to civilian traffic to ensure security.
ICYMI: Moscow wades into US-Venezuela crisis
01:00 , Maira ButtRussia's foreign ministry accused the United States of reviving piracy and banditry in the Caribbean Sea by blockading Venezuela.
“Today we are witnessing complete lawlessness in the Caribbean Sea, where long-forgotten theft of other people's property, namely piracy, and banditry, are being revived,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said of the situation.
“We consistently advocate for a de-escalation,” Zakharova said. “We hope that the pragmatism and rationality of US President Trump will allow solutions to be found that are mutually acceptable to the parties within the framework of international legal norms.”
“We confirm our support for the efforts of the government of Nicolas Maduro aimed at protecting sovereignty and national interests, and maintaining the stable and secure development of his country,” she said.
Russian forces will 'struggle to maintain' multi-pronged offensives, says Institute for the Study of War
00:02 , Maira ButtRussia is unable to maintain its intensity of fighting due to demands on manpower and resources, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
“ISW recently assessed that Russian forces will likely continue to struggle to maintain the Kremlin’s desired multi-pronged offensives in different directions due to the long-term materiel and manpower costs of these simultaneous operations,” the ISW said in a statement on Thursday.
“Russian efforts to start the battle for the Fortress Belt will likely further stretch Russian resources, and Russia will likely need to deprioritise other frontline sectors in order to concentrate even more forces to the Fortress Belt area.
“The Kremlin is therefore making demands in negotiations that Ukraine cede the unoccupied parts of Donetsk Oblast, likely in order to save Russia the personnel and materiel resources and possibly to put Russia in a more advantageous position to re-invade in the future to pursue Putin’s longer-term strategic goal of controlling all of Ukraine.”
MORE: Kremlin-affiliated milbloggers are acknowledging significant Ukrainian successes in the Kupyansk direction and criticizing the Kremlin and the Russian military command for providing false battlefield reports. ⬇️
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) December 25, 2025
The widespread milblogger criticism of the Kremlin’s and the… https://t.co/aOCmwVymCj pic.twitter.com/0UQ1dSHeUW
Ukraine strikes Russia's Krasnodar Krai port, says Ukrainian military
Thursday 25 December 2025 23:00 , Maira ButtThe Ukrainian military attacked multiple Russian facilities overnight, hitting several strategic targets, military officials told the Kyiv Independent.
An oil refining facility, port and military airfield were struck according to the Ukrainian General Staff and a source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), according to the publication.
The hit was orchestrated using drones of the Alpha Special Operations Centre of the SBU with the Temryuk Seaport in Krasnodar Krai and a gas processing plant in Orenburg Oblast targeted.
It is reported to have sparked fires in two oil storage tanks overnight.
Zelensky open to withdrawing troops for demilitarised zone in Ukraine in new peace plan
Thursday 25 December 2025 22:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland in an updated plan to end the war with Russia – if Moscow also pulled back from the area, creating a demilitarised zone.
Unveiling the latest 20-point plan thrashed out but not yet fully agreed with the US, Mr Zelensky said the Donbas region could become a “free economic zone”, but it was unclear how the fought-over area would be governed or developed.
The peace plan, which Mr Zelensky said would need to be put before a referendum, could also involve a similar arrangement around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control.
The plan, presented to reporters on Christmas Eve by the Ukrainian leader, marked the latest counter-proposal to an original 28-point document that was agreed by US envoy Steve Witkoff and the Russians.
Moscow has so far given no indication it will agree to withdrawal from land it has seized.
Ukraine's revised 20 point peace plan
Thursday 25 December 2025 21:00 , Maira ButtUkraine has unveiled the latest 20-point peace proposal brokered by the US to bring an end to the war with Russia.
Ukrainian and US delegations reached a consensus on several critical issues in the latest round of talks in Miami.
However, Volodymyr Zelensky said sensitive issues around territorial control in the country’s eastern industrial heartland, along with the management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), remain unresolved.
Click here to see the full 20 point proposal.
Ukraine unveils 20-point peace proposal under discussion with US
Watch: 'May he perish' says Zelensky in Christmas address
Thursday 25 December 2025 20:00 , Maira ButtAppearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Today, we all share one dream.
“And we make one wish - for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater, we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
In pictures: The aftermath of a Russian attack in Chernihiv
Thursday 25 December 2025 19:30 , Maira Butt
Chinese satellites aiding Russian attacks, says Zelensky
Thursday 25 December 2025 19:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Chinese satellites could be supporting Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.
“There have been correlations between Chinese satellite imaging of Ukrainian territory and Russian strikes on the corresponding energy infrastructure facilities,” Zelensky said in a social media post on Wednesday following a meeting with Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
“We are recording increased ties between Russia and entities in China that may be providing space-based intelligence data.”
Ukraine and US discuss how to bring 'real peace closer', says Zelensky
Thursday 25 December 2025 18:30 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukrainian representatives and US negotiators have discussed ways to bring “real peace closer” during a conversation on Christmas Day.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelensky said on Telegram. “There are some new ideas on how to bring the real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”
Earlier, we reported that the Ukrainian leader had taken part in a conversation with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and businessman Jared Kushner.
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
Thursday 25 December 2025 18:00 , Maira ButtUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has appeared to wish for the death of Vladimir Putin in a Christmas message after Russia continued to bombard the country with missiles and drones.
In a video posted to X on Christmas Eve, Zelensky said that “despite all the suffering that Russia has brought, it is not capable of occupying or bombing what matters most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity”.
Appearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Zelensky added: “Today, we all share one dream.
“And we make one wish - for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater. we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
In pictures: Ukrainians celebrate Christmas amid conflict with Russia
Thursday 25 December 2025 17:30 , Maira Butt
King Charles shows support for Kyiv with Ukrainian choir as he urges Brits to embrace values of World War 2 generation
Thursday 25 December 2025 17:01 , Maira ButtKing Charles urged Brits to embrace the values of their Second World War generation as he delivered his annual Christmas address on Thursday.
“The end of the second world war is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass,” he said.
“But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.”
While required to remain apolitical, the monarch showed clear support for Ukraine with the choice to include a performance by a Ukrainian choir, wearing traditional Ukrainian "vyshyvanka" embroidered shirts, and the London-based Royal Opera Chorus.
Zelensky hails 'constructive' talks with US envoy Witkoff
Thursday 25 December 2025 16:15 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner for a “constructive” conversation on a peace deal.
“Today we had a very good conversation with President Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter on Thursday.
“I thank them for the constructive approach, the intensive work, and the kind words and Christmas greetings to the Ukrainian people. We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective, and reliable.”
He added that the group had discussed “certain substantive details of the ongoing work”. Zelensky said he was joined by Ukraine’s representative Rustem Umerov, Andrii Hnatov, Andrii Sybiha, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ihor Brusylo, and Oleksandr Bevz.
“Our entire diplomatic team is doing their utmost. We agreed that Rustem will speak again today with Steve and Jared,” he continued.
“We believe this is the right approach – not to lose a single day or a single opportunity that can bring the result closer. May today’s conversation become another step toward peace.”
Today we had a very good conversation with President Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff @SEPeaceMissions and @jaredkushner. I thank them for the constructive approach, the intensive work, and the kind words and Christmas greetings to the Ukrainian people. We are truly working… pic.twitter.com/gsgIn4AHW5
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 25, 2025
Russia seeing 'slow but steady' progress in peace talks
Thursday 25 December 2025 16:00 , Maira ButtRussia’s foreign ministry has provided an indication that lengthy peace talks are headed in the right direction in an update on Thursday.
“In the negotiation process on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, I mean in the negotiation process with the United States, there is slow but steady progress,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
But, she hit out at Western European powers for attempts to torpedo progress, praising the US for countering the moves.
Pope Leo XIV calls for 'respectful' dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in first Christmas sermon
Thursday 25 December 2025 15:30 , Maira ButtPope Leo XIV dedicated a portion of his Christmas sermon to calls for peace between warring nations across the world, including Russia and Ukraine.
The head of the Catholic Church said that the people of Ukraine were being “tormented” by violence.
“May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” he said on Christmas Day.
Elsewhere, the pope expressed concern for Palestinians in Gaza, drawing parallels to Jesus pitching a “fragile tent”.
“How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” he asked.
Ukraine's revised 20 point peace plan
Thursday 25 December 2025 14:00 , Sam RkainaUkraine has unveiled the latest 20-point peace proposal brokered by the US to bring an end to the war with Russia.
Ukrainian and US delegations reached a consensus on several critical issues in the latest round of talks in Miami.
However, Volodymyr Zelensky said sensitive issues around territorial control in the country’s eastern industrial heartland, along with the management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), remain unresolved.
Click here to see the full 20 point proposal.
Ukraine hits Russian refinery with Storm Shadows
Thursday 25 December 2025 13:30 , Sam RkainaThe Ukrainian military hit Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia's Rostov region with Storm Shadow missiles, causing multiple explosions, the General Staff said.
The General Staff said in a statement on the Telegram app that the Novoshakhtinsk refinery was one of the largest oil products suppliers in southern Russia and is involved in supplying Russian troops.
Moscow wades into US-Venezuela crisis
Thursday 25 December 2025 13:00 , Sam RkainaRussia's foreign ministry accused the United States of reviving piracy and banditry in the Caribbean Sea by blockading Venezuela.
“Today we are witnessing complete lawlessness in the Caribbean Sea, where long-forgotten theft of other people's property, namely piracy, and banditry, are being revived,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said of the situation.
“We consistently advocate for a de-escalation,” Zakharova said. “We hope that the pragmatism and rationality of US President Trump will allow solutions to be found that are mutually acceptable to the parties within the framework of international legal norms.”
“We confirm our support for the efforts of the government of Nicolas Maduro aimed at protecting sovereignty and national interests, and maintaining the stable and secure development of his country,” she said.
Russia says it reached out to France over jailed 'foreign agent'
Thursday 25 December 2025 12:31 , Sam RkainaRussia had made a proposal to France regarding Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher jailed for violating Russia's foreign agent laws, and the ball is now in Paris's court, the Kremlin has said.
Vinatier was sentenced in 2024 to three years in jail for failing to comply with laws requiring individuals deemed ‘foreign agents’ to register and meet a number of stipulations.
He is now facing additional espionage charges.
France has said Vinatier was arbitrarily detained and has called for his release.
President Emmanuel Macron has denied that Vinatier worked for the French state and has described his arrest as part of a misinformation campaign by Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there had been contacts with France on the issue.
Kremlin looking at latest peace plans
Thursday 25 December 2025 11:59 , Sam RkainaThe Kremlin has said it is analysing the latest US proposals on ending the war in Ukraine.
The documents were brought to Moscow by special envoy Kirill Dmitriev from the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Zelensky unveiled a revised 20 point peace plan aimed at ending the war following talks with European allies and the Americans.
Polish jets intercept Russian plane over the Baltic
Thursday 25 December 2025 11:30 , Sam RkainaPolish jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, which was flying close to its airspace, the NATO country's army said.
Countries on NATO's eastern flank have been on high alert for potential airspace incursions since September when three Russian military jets violated Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes just days after more than 20 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace.
“This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified, and escorted from their area of responsibility a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace,” the army said.
It also said that at night, objects were observed entering Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus.
“After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving in accordance with the wind direction and speed,” the army said.
It added that part of the airspace over northeast Poland's Podlaskie region, which borders Belarus, was temporarily closed to civilian traffic to ensure security.
Putin wishes Trump a merry Christmas
Thursday 25 December 2025 11:03 , Sam RkainaVladimir Putin has wished Donald Trump a merry Christmas and sent him a congratulatory message, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
Putin is not expected to speak with Trump on Thursday, no such call is scheduled, he added.
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
Thursday 25 December 2025 10:35 , Sam RkainaUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has appeared to wish for the death of Vladimir Putin in a Christmas message after Russia continued to bombard the country with missiles and drones.
In a video posted to X on Christmas Eve, Zelensky said that “despite all the suffering that Russia has brought, it is not capable of occupying or bombing what matters most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity”.
Appearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Zelensky added: “Today, we all share one dream.
“And we make one wish - for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater. we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Russia drone strikes on Christmas night kill two
Thursday 25 December 2025 10:04 , Sam RkainaTwo people have been killed and around 35 more injured in overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine.
More than 130 drones were launched in the latest salvo, Ukraine officials said.
One man was killed in Odesa and another in Kharkiv in the Christmas night assault.
Ukraine’s military said it managed to shoot down 106 of the drones but 22 made it through, hitting 15 locations.
