Ukraine Sees Concrete Progress in Talks with Western Allies

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s new chief of staff, has reported “concrete results” in ongoing talks with Western allies over an end to the war and post-conflict security guarantees. The update was shared on Telegram on Wednesday, as a summit of 35 countries that have pledged to support Ukraine against Russian aggression continued in Paris.

Budanov stated that Ukrainian national interests will be defended, but did not provide details about the progress made. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that talks would address “the most difficult issues” in the discussions to end the nearly four-year war.

The summit is addressing territorial questions, including the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The United States has pledged to back security guarantees for Ukraine, including leading a truce monitoring mechanism. France and the United Kingdom have also announced plans to deploy forces to Ukrainian territory if a ceasefire is agreed.

Russia has not indicated any willingness to compromise on its demands, which include ceding four of its eastern regions. The country continues to occupy about a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine and Russia have been trading attacks on the ground, with Ukrainian drones hitting an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod region overnight.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a Russian Orthodox Christmas service, where he hailed his troops’ “holy mission” to defend the country. The service was held at the St George Victory Bearer church near Moscow.

Source: Al Jazeera