Ukraine

CNN reports: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Donald Trump of repeating disinformation, a day after the US president falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia. Zelensky’s comments were part of what is shaping up to be far the most public exchange of accusations between Kyiv and Washington since the full-scale war started nearly three years ago. Speaking to …

The BBC reports: Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “ready and willing” to put UK troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal. The UK prime minister said securing a lasting peace in Ukraine was “essential if we are to deter Putin from further aggression in the future”. Ahead of …

The New York Times reports: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, during a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, rejected an offer by the Trump administration to relinquish half of the country’s mineral resources in exchange for U.S. support, according to five people briefed on the proposal or with direct knowledge of the talks. The unusual deal would have granted the United States …

CNN reports: Vice President JD Vance warned on Thursday that the United States could hit Russia with economic and military “tools of leverage” if Russian leader Vladimir Putin doesn’t negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine in good faith. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Vance said the option of sending US troops to Ukraine was “on the table,” as …

The Moscow Times reports: A well-known St. Petersburg musician fell to his death from the window of his 10th-floor apartment during police searches over his alleged donations to the Ukrainian military, media reported Thursday. Vadim Stroykin faced up to 20 years in prison if charged and convicted of participating in a terrorist organization for his alleged support of the Ukrainian …

The Kyiv Independent reports: Russia is dissatisfied with the reported peace deal proposals on Ukraine from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s team, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Dec. 29, according to state-owned TASS. Earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Trump’s team is considering a plan to delay Ukraine’s NATO membership by at least 20 years in …

Bloomberg News reports: Russia rebuffed incoming US President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while saying it’s ready to hold negotiations on a long-lasting peace agreement to end almost three years of war. “A ceasefire is a road to nowhere” that Ukraine will use to build up its military capacity, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in …

The Associated Press reports: A senior Russian general was killed Tuesday by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his apartment building in Moscow, a day after Ukraine’s security service leveled criminal charges against him. A Ukrainian official said the service carried out the attack. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the chief of the military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, …

Sky News reports: Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken “under the NATO umbrella” – allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later “in a diplomatic way”. In an interview with Sky News’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, the Ukrainian president was asked to respond to media reports …

Axios reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a revised nuclear doctrine on Tuesday to effectively lower his country’s threshold for using nuclear weapons. The new doctrine suggests Russia could use nuclear weapons to respond to attacks by Ukraine carried out with American support. The new doctrine expands the range of countries and alliances — a clear reference to NATO — …

CNN reports: Vladimir Shklyarov, a world-renowned Russian ballet star, has died after falling from the fifth floor of a building on Saturday. His death was confirmed by the Mariinsky Theater, a venue in the city of St. Petersburg where Shklyarov was the highest-ranking dancer. “He died a natural death. It’s not a crime,” a source in the emergency services told …

The Associated Press reports: President Joe Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with U.S.-supplied long-range missiles was met with ominous warnings from Moscow, a hint of menace from Kyiv and nods of approval from some Western allies. Washington is easing limits on what Ukraine can strike with U.S.-made weaponry, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Sunday, …

The Guardian reports: The Kremlin has denied reports that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, spoke to the US president-elect, Donald Trump, calling the media reports “pure fiction”. The Washington Post first reported that a call had taken place and said that Trump had told Putin that he should not escalate the Ukraine war. Reuters also reported on a call. “It …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke on Wednesday with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and during the call handed the phone to Elon Musk, the increasingly influential billionaire who has played a key role providing communications capability to Ukraine in its war with Russia, a person familiar with the discussion said. It is not clear what the …

The Daily Beast reports: Wednesday morning’s broadcast of the state TV show 60 Minutes was dedicated almost entirely to the topic of American elections, with multiple video compilations of Trump dancing to the tune of YMCA by the Village People. Beaming from ear to ear, state TV host Olga Skabeeva announced Trump’s “resounding” victory and remarked, “Trump now has 24 …

West Palm Beach’s Fox affiliate reports: Trump cast his ballot at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center on Palm Beach and spoke to reporters afterward, saying it “seems that the conservatives are voting very powerfully” and “it looks like Republicans have shown up in force.””It looks like we have a very substantial lead. It looks like we have many …

The Associated Press reports: The Kremlin could not have asked for better publicity at a better time when Ben Swann, a self-described independent journalist who promotes conspiracy theories, released a 12-part video series he promised would reveal dark truths about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Swann’s flashy documentary-style videos were filled with innuendo, attacks on Zelenskyy’s character and commentary from guests …

The Hill reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Wednesday that will allow criminal defendants to skip prosecution and potential prison time if they enlist in the army. The bill was originally approved by the Russian Supreme Court and parliament before Putin stamped the measure, which could potentially place 20,000 new soldiers on the frontlines in the war against …

The New York Times reports: President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was warmly received by the leader of Mongolia on Tuesday in his first state visit to a member nation of the International Criminal Court since it issued a warrant for his arrest last year. Instead of arresting Mr. Putin, as the I.C.C., Ukraine, and human rights groups have urged, …

Politico Europe reports: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed bilateral security agreement with Poland in Warsaw on Monday — aimed at strengthening ties with one of the country’s closest wartime allies. Poland has already provided 44 military aid packages to Ukraine worth €4 billion and has pledged to provide several more this year and into the next decade. Poland agreed to …