Moscow/Kyiv, Jan 1 (.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his address to the nation on New Year’s Eve claimed that the peace agreement for ending the country’s nearly-four-year-long war with Russia is “90% ready,” adding that this deal would “determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe”.
Zelensky, who earlier met US President Donald Trump had said that his talks with Trump had ended on a rather positive note, with a solution nearing sight, as Trump had offered Kyiv 15 years of security, though was unclear on what exactly that “security” would entail, as he had explicitly ruled out any boots on the ground.
However, Russia’s stance has not been so optimistic following what it said was a “terror attack” by Kyiv on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s estate in Novgorod, on Dec 29, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stating that the attack has forced Moscow to reconsider its stance on the peace deal.
In his own New Year speech, Putin lauded the Russian Armed Forces, and said that the whole nation was rooting for them, as they were fighting for their homeland, and the country believes in them and their victory.
“Millions of people across Russia, I assure you, are thinking of you with you on this New Year’s Eve, empathising with you, hoping for you. We are united in our sincere, selfless, and devoted love for Russia.”
Earlier on Wednesday, amid the West’s dismissal of the Kremlin’s claims of a Ukrainian attack on the Russian presidential estate as propaganda, the Russian Ministry of Defence released evidence of Kyiv’s use of drones to target Putin’s private home on Lake Valdai in north-west Russia, though Kyiv has strenuously denied the charges.
The Russian Ministry of Defence had released a map, which allegedly showed the route of the Ukrainian long-range drones that targeted Putin’s state residence in Novgorod, in St Petersburg on Monday.
According to Moscow, Kyiv launched 91 UAVs at the compound on the night of December 28-29, with all of the incoming enemy projectiles being intercepted and destroyed on sight by Russian air defences.
The map also detailed the flight path of the UAVs, which were launched from several locations in Ukraine and flew north towards Russia’s Novgorod Region through Bryansk, Smolensk and Tver regions.
According to the map, Russian air defences shot down 49 drones above Bryansk Region, one above Smolensk Region and another 41 above Novgorod Region as they approached Putin’s residence.
Europe has refused to believe Moscow’s evidence, alleging that Moscow was actively attempting to disrupt any attempts at peace, with Moscow in turn blaming Brussels for fuelling the war, and increased “warmongering” by its deliberate demonisation of Russia.
As each side has blamed the other for not wanting any real peace in the region, future tidings only look grimmer, particularly as Moscow’s demands entail some territorial accession from Ukraine, specifically the entire region of Donbas (which is 90-91% under Russian control), and the international recognition of Crimea as a legal part of Russia, which Moscow had captured in 2013, and is officially to date unrecognised.
As such, any immediate peace is unlikely, more so as Moscow is noted to have a significant military advantage against Kyiv, and thus has been making demands from a position of strength, while Kyiv and Brussels have collectively refused to accede to its demands.
. . PRP