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.
A major Tehran airport came under heavy air attacks on Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian news agencies reported. The attacks on Mehrabad Airport ...
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline&...
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” almost a week into the c...
Newly released FBI records summarising interviews with an unidentified woman contain allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to forc...
The Israeli military says it has destroyed an underground bunker beneath Iran’s leadership complex in Tehran...
Escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S. are raising economic concerns across Central Asia. Although the region lies far from the conflict, its economies remain closely tied to global energy markets and trade routes linked to the Persian Gulf.
A Russian drone damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel that was transporting corn near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Black Sea Odesa region, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said late on Wednesday.
How do political narratives travel from Moscow to Westminster?
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on targets in Iran, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
In an exclusive interview with AnewZ, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Islamic Republic is "not targeting neighbouring countries," amid reports of drone strikes on Nakhchivan International Airport on Thursday (5 March).
Trump tells Axios he wants direct involvement in who takes over as Iran's next leader, rejecting Khamenei's son as "unacceptable" and citing the need for a figure who can bring "peace and harmony".
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and a Synagogue. Tensions between regional and global powers escalate. Military activity, security alerts and travel disruptions continue.
Türkiye and Iran’s foreign ministers spoke by phone after reports that a ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace, with Tehran denying responsibility and insisting its recent strikes targeted only U.S. and Israeli facilities.
China has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their growing border dispute through dialogue and diplomatic channels, as clashes between their security forces entered a seventh day and left more than 160 people dead or injured, according to the United Nations.
Newly released FBI records summarising interviews with an unidentified woman contain allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to force her to perform a sexual act when she was a teenager, according to documents published by the U.S. Justice Department.
Australia’s move to ban social media access for children under 16 has intensified a global debate, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
Indonesia will restrict access to social media platforms for children under 16, its communications and digital ministry said on Friday (6 March), becoming the latest country to introduce online guardrails aimed at reducing the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
Ukraine has accused Hungary of taking seven employees of a state-owned bank hostage in Budapest.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 6th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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