Peace in sight? Zelenskyy says Ukraine only 10% away from deal with Russia

Zelenskyy cautioned that while Ukraine wants an end to the war, any settlement must be built on strong security guarantees to prevent future aggression.

• Zelenskyy says Ukraine is 10 percent away from a peace deal with Russia
• He insists peace must not compromise Ukraine's sovereignty or security
• Ukraine refuses to cede land, demands strong safeguards against future invasions.

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In his New Year's Eve address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was "10 percent" away from a deal to end the war with Russia.

"The peace agreement is 90 per cent ready. Ten per cent remains. And that is far more than just numbers,” Zelenskyy said in a video message posted on his Telegram handle.

According to AFP, he warned against rewarding Moscow, making it clear that peace should not come through concessions that could weaken Ukraine’s long-term security or embolden Russia.

His speech came hours after US officials, including top envoy Steve Witkoff, held a call with Ukrainian and European security advisers on the next steps to end the nearly four-year conflict.

Russia currently occupies around 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory and is pushing for full control of the eastern Donbas region as part of any agreement, a demand Kyiv has consistently rejected, warning that ceding land would only encourage further aggression.

In a separate New Year’s video message shared on X,  he laid out Ukraine’s core position on peace and sovereignty in stark terms.

“Let’s start with the most important thing. What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No,” Zelenskyy said. “We want the end of the war, but not the end of Ukraine.”

“Are we tired? Very much. Does this mean that we are ready to give up? Those who think so are greatly mistaken,” he said.

The Ukrainian President said the prolonged conflict had clearly revealed the resilience of Ukrainians, arguing that Russia had fundamentally misunderstood the nation it was fighting.

“And it is obvious that during all these years he did not understand who Ukrainians are,” Zelenskyy said. He said that Ukraine’s desire for peace does not extend to accepting an agreement that would compromise its sovereignty or security.

He reiterated that any end to the war must include safeguards strong enough to deter Russia from invading again.

The war, now entering its fifth calendar year, has resulted in a tidal wave of destruction that has left entire Ukrainian cities in ruins. The Kremlin had  accused Ukraine of conducting a long-range drone strike targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence on December 29.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year’s Eve address, urged Russians to believe in victory in Ukraine.

Addressing soldiers he described as “heroes,” Putin said, “We believe in you and our victory.”

The Kremlin has said it would “toughen” its negotiating position after accusing Ukraine of launching drone attacks near Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region.