Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u2019s top foreign policy official has rejected the latest amendments to a Donald Trump<\/a>-backed peace plan \u2013 despite admitting that he hasn’t actually read them.<\/p>\n Yuri Ushakov, who played a key role in drafting the original version of the plan that was widely dismissed as being too pro-Russia<\/a>, also played down the prospect of a three-way summit between the US, Moscow<\/a> and Kyiv<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,\u201d Yuri Ushakov said.<\/p>\n The senior Kremlin<\/a> official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was \u201cnot a forecast\u201d.<\/p>\n His remarks came after Trump\u2019s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he held “productive and constructive” talks in Florida over the weekend with Ukrainian and European negotiators.<\/p>\n “Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine<\/a>‘s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity.<\/p>\n Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future,” Trump’s envoy said. <\/p>\n <\/a>Indian national captured by Ukraine while fighting for Russia appeals to PM Modi<\/p>\n An Indian national who had travelled to Russia on a student visa and is now being held as a POW in Ukraine has appealed to his country\u2019s prime minister Narendra Modi to secure his release.<\/p>\n Sahil Mohamed Hussein Majothi, 23, from Gujarat, says he travelled to St Petersburg in January 2024 to study a course on Russian language and culture at ITMO University.<\/p>\n The man was allegedly sentenced to jail after a police case and then forced to fight for Russia on the battlefield. He was then captured by the Ukrainian forces.<\/p>\n A video released by Ukraine in October showed his surrender. In a fresh video last night, Majothi warned Indians going to Russia for studies or work to \u201cbe careful against scammers\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI appeal to the Indian government, to prime minister Narendra Modi and S Jaishankar (minister of external affairs), if possible, please help. That\u2019s all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 05:52<\/p>\n <\/a>French presidency welcomes Kremlin’s willingness to hold talks<\/p>\n The French presidency has welcomed Russia\u2019s willingness to hold talks with Emmanuel Macron.<\/p>\n Russian president Vladimir Putin\u2019s willingness to speak with Macron is \u201cwelcome\u201d, the Elysee Palace said, adding that Paris will decide on the details \u201cin the coming days\u201d, reported French broadcaster BFMTV.<\/p>\n The remarks came shortly after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Saturday said Putin is ready to engage in dialogue with Macron.<\/p>\n On Friday, Macron had said it would \u201cbecome useful again\u201d for him and the Europeans to speak with Putin.<\/p>\n “I think that we, Europeans and Ukrainians, have an interest in finding a framework to re-engage in these discussions properly. Otherwise, we end up talking among ourselves, with negotiators who go off on their own to talk with the Russians, which is not optimal,” Macron said. <\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 05:22<\/p>\n <\/a>Watch: Zelensky reports \u2018constructive engagement\u2019 in Florida on peace talksZelensky reports \u2018constructive engagement\u2019 in Florida on peace talks<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 05:10<\/p>\n <\/a>Orban says Ukraine’s collapse would be a disaster for Hungary<\/p>\n Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said Ukraine\u2019s collapse would be a disaster for his country, as he made a rare statement in support of Kyiv.<\/p>\n Orban was speaking during his \u201cCountry tour\u201d rally yesterday, at a time when he faces staunch opposition ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.<\/p>\n \u201cMake no mistake: Ukraine\u2019s collapse would be a disaster for Hungary. So the collapse of Ukraine is not only in Hungary’s interest, but we must do a great deal to prevent it from happening,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cCountryside people – and real estate speculators – understand perfectly that the value of your piece of land is influenced not only by the condition of that land, but also by the condition of the neighbouring piece of land, and also by who lives there,\u201d Orban said, addressing the city of Szeged.<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 04:55<\/p>\n <\/a>What are the main sticking points in negotiations?<\/p>\n The talks between Ukraine and the US have centred on Kyiv\u2019s insistence that it needs security guarantees to end the war.<\/p>\n Ukraine also says it will not and legally cannot give up territory seized by Russia.<\/p>\n Moscow has shown no signs of backing down from its demands, however.<\/p>\n Russia opposes Europe putting boots on the ground to uphold peace in Ukraine when the war ends. That makes it tricky for Europe to offer tangible security guarantees.<\/p>\n Russia has gone into talks this week publicly refusing to budge on claims to the Donbas, Crimea and land in the south.<\/p>\n The two sides are stuck in gridlock with Trump pressuring Kyiv to give up land for a peace deal, according to sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s leverage comes from Europe, which continues to offer funding and work on \u2018security guarantees\u2019.<\/p>\n James Reynolds22 December 2025 04:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Ukrainian forces battle Russian breakthrough in Sumy<\/p>\n The Ukrainian army said it was battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the Sumy region after Moscow claimed to have forcibly removed 50 people from a border village.<\/p>\n \u201cFighting is currently ongoing in the village of Grabovske,\u201d Ukraine\u2019s joint taskforce said and said their troops were \u201cmaking efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory\u201d.<\/p>\n Russian forces have crossed the border with Ukraine in the northeastern Sumy region and taken about 50 residents of a Ukrainian border village into Russia, Ukrainian media quoted the military as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n Most of the local residents captured from the village were elderly people, the media said. <\/p>\n Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne and the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet said Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory on Saturday night in the area of the village of Hrabovske.<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 04:10<\/p>\n <\/a>Kremlin dismissed new peace plan proposals – without actually seeing them<\/p>\n Vladimir Putin\u2019s top foreign policy official has accused Europe and Ukraine of prolonging the conflict with their proposals.<\/p>\n \u201cI am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,\u201d Yuri Ushakov said.<\/p>\n The senior Kremlin official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was \u201cnot a forecast\u201d.<\/p>\n He also denied that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US were under discussion, after Zelensky said Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions.<\/p>\n \u201cAt present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared,” he said.<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 03:19<\/p>\n <\/a>Ukrainian drone attack damages two vessels in Russia’s Krasnodar<\/p>\n At least two vessels and two piers were damaged as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia\u2019s Krasnodar region, authorities in the southern Russia region said today.<\/p>\n All crew on the ships at the Volna terminal in the region have been safely evacuated, the Krasnodar region\u2019s operational headquarters said on the Telegram messaging app. The damage led to a fire spreading across up to 1,500 square metres (1,794 square yards), the authorities added.<\/p>\n Arpan Rai22 December 2025 02:56<\/p>\n <\/a>\u2018I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war\u2019<\/p>\n Aiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined Ukraine\u2019s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin\u2019s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the \u2018World of Trouble\u2019 podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley<\/strong><\/a> in eastern Ukraine:<\/p>\n James Reynolds22 December 2025 02:00<\/p>\n![\"French](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEI274674168.jpeg\")
French president Emmanuel Macron welcomes Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris (Reuters)<\/p>\n![\"Ukraine\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2250103509.jpeg\")
Ukraine\u2019s allies in Europe continue to push for security guarantees (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Russian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Russia_US_06190.jpg\")
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov attend talks in Moscow (Sputnik)<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/A-firefighter-works-at-the-site-of-a-Russian-missile-and-drone-strike-in-Odesa.jpeg\")
A firefighter works at the site of a Russian missile and drone strike in Odesa (via REUTERS)![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/A-truck-burns-at-the-site-of-a-Russian-missile-and-drone-strike-amid-Russias-attack-on-Ukraine-in-Od.jpeg\")
A truck burns at the site of a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region (via REUTERS)<\/p>\n