Ukraine hosts key security talks with allies in Kyiv
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Ukraine on Saturday convened senior security advisers from allied nations in Kyiv for high-level talks aimed at advancing diplomatic efforts to end the war, as tensions with Russia continue to escalate.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said representatives from about 15 countries were participating in the meeting, alongside officials from the European Union and NATO, while a United States delegation joined the discussions virtually.
The talks are expected to feed into a broader meeting of leaders from the so-called “coalition of the willing,” scheduled to hold in France next week.
The latest round of consultations follows Zelensky’s New Year’s Eve address, in which he revealed that a US-backed peace framework was “about 90 per cent” complete, though he acknowledged that sensitive territorial questions were yet to be resolved.
Russia currently occupies nearly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory and has sustained near-daily missile and drone attacks that have killed thousands of civilians and forced millions from their homes.
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of deliberately undermining diplomatic initiatives in order to consolidate further territorial gains.
Analysis showed that Russian forces captured more Ukrainian territory in 2025 than in any year since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Moscow, however, has blamed Kyiv for derailing peace efforts, accusing Ukraine of carrying out a “terrorist attack” after a New Year strike on a hotel in Kherson killed 28 people.
Russian officials warned of consequences, while Ukrainian authorities insisted the strike targeted a military gathering and not civilians. AFP could not independently verify either claim.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Ukraine recently ordered the evacuation of more than 3,000 children and their parents from frontline communities in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions amid advancing Russian troops.
According to Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, over 150,000 people have been evacuated from frontline areas since June 1.
In Kharkiv, local authorities reported on Saturday that another body had been recovered from rubble following an overnight aerial bombardment that destroyed residential buildings. At least two people, including a three-year-old child, were killed, while 19 others were injured.
Under the current US-supported proposal, Ukraine would relinquish parts of the eastern Donbas region and agree not to join NATO.
Zelensky has said Kyiv has managed to secure some concessions, including the removal of a clause that would have formally recognised Russian control over seized territories.
Data from the Institute for the Study of War showed that Russian forces captured more than 5,600 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in 2025, more than in the previous two years combined, though far less than the gains made during the first year of the invasion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would seek to take full control of territories it claims as Russian if negotiations collapse.
Ahead of the January 6 summit in France, Zelensky has reshuffled his cabinet, offering the defence ministry position to 34-year-old Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
He also appointed military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as head of the presidential office, replacing Andriy Yermak, who resigned in November following a corruption investigation.
“At this moment, Ukraine needs a sharper focus on security, defence development and the diplomatic track,” Zelensky said, describing Budanov as possessing the experience and resolve required for the task.
Budanov confirmed he had accepted the appointment, pledging to continue serving Ukraine as peace efforts and military pressure unfold simultaneously.
