President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his New Year address to the nation, said that Ukraine wanted the war to end, but not at any cost, adding he would not sign a "weak" peace agreement that would only prolong the war.
Seated in his office, with a festive tree in the background, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians were exhausted from nearly four years of war. But they were not prepared to give up.
"What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want an end to the war but not the end of Ukraine," Zelenskyy, wearing a dark green embroidered Ukrainian shirt, said in the 21-minute address issued just before midnight.
"Are we tired? Very. Does this mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply mistaken."
Zelenskyy said any signature "placed on weak agreements only fuel the war."
"My signature will be placed on a strong agreement. And that is exactly what every meeting, every phone call, every decision is about now," he said. "To secure a strong peace for everyone, not for a day, a week or two months, but peace for years."
Zelenskyy said weeks of U.S.-led diplomacy, including his talks last weekend with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, had produced a peace deal that was nearly ready.
"A peace agreement is 90% ready, 10% remains," he said. "That 10% contains everything, it is the 10% that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe and how people will live."
The main stumbling block to completing a deal is the issue of who will control what parts of Ukraine's territory.
Russia holds about 19% of Ukraine's territory in the south and east, but Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region that Moscow's forces have failed to capture.
Kyiv wants the map frozen at the current battle lines, and Zelenskyy dismissed as "deception" Russian demands for a complete withdrawal from Donbas.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 19 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 19 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to extend sanctions against Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine for a further 12 months, marking the first time the restrictive measures have been renewed on an annual basis rather than the previous six-month cycle.
The leader of an extremist group that carried out so-called "Sharia patrols" targeting people suspected of drinking alcohol in Russia's Kabardino-Balkarian Republic has been sentenced to four years and three months in a penal colony.
A Ukrainian drone strike has hit an oil refinery in south-east Moscow for the second time in three days, triggering a major fire, disrupting flights across the Russian capital and highlighting growing vulnerabilities in the country's energy infrastructure.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought a deal with Iran "out of deperation," Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said, in a statement on social media. Khamenei added that he himself "held a different view," to Trump, but allowed the agreement after receiving assurances from Iran's President.
Britain has announced an additional £8 million ($11 million) to help Pakistan combat illegal migration, human trafficking and organised crime, while praising Islamabad's role in diplomacy that helped secure the recent U.S.-Iran agreement.
Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 win for Ghana over Panama as World Cup action delivered a mix of late drama and key results. Colombia and England also began their campaigns with victories, while DR Congo held Portugal in a historic 1-1 draw and Austria beat Jordan 3-1.
The European Commission has announced €493 million in emergency support for the Ebola response, including funding for vaccines, treatment and health security measures.
The United Arab Emirates has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use, becoming the first Arab country to introduce such a restriction as governments worldwide seek to address growing concerns over the impact of online platforms on children.
Nearly 300 students and staff were evacuated after a fire broke out at an elementary school in northern Tokyo on Friday morning, leaving 10 people with minor injuries, according to Japanese media.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 19 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday in what could be most consequential local election in more than six decades.
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to extend sanctions against Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine for a further 12 months, marking the first time the restrictive measures have been renewed on an annual basis rather than the previous six-month cycle.
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