Russian General Valery Gerasimov said Moscow has asserted control over more than 30 percent of the town’s buildings (Anadolu Agency)
Ukraine denies Russian claims that nearby Pokrovsk has entirely fallen, though Ukraine’s top commander suggested that some troops have withdrawn from certain positions over the past week (Reuters)
Separately, Zelenskyy told reporters that he was ready for elections, adding they could occur within the next three months if their security was guaranteed (Reuters)
Trump has repeatedly criticized Ukraine’s deferred elections, including in an interview with Politico, in which he accused Zelenskyy of using the war as an excuse for not holding a vote (Axios;Politico)
Meanwhile, German and French officials continued to react to the newly released U.S. National Security Strategy, affirming that it underscores the need for Europe to increase its security independence (AP; AFP)
Zelenskyy Meets European Allies in London
The talks aimed at coordinating positions surrounding the revised U.S. peace proposal, which still faces major hurdles over security guarantees and Washington’s suggestion that Ukraine cede Donbas (AP)
Ukraine and its European allies aim to send an updated peace proposal to Washington tomorrow evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said; he added that no compromise with the United States had yet been reached regarding territorial concessions, saying that under Ukrainian and international law, “we have no right to give anything away” (FT)
Outgoing U.S. Envoy Keith Kellogg claimed that a peace deal is close, even as both Russia and Ukraine suggest major hurdles remain (Reuters)
More Ukraine-U.S. Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, following three days of consecutive meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian officials beginning Thursday; Zelenskyy later noted that major gaps remain on security guarantees and the fate of Russian-occupied territory (Reuters)
On the battlefield, Russia launched a large-scale attack across Ukraine, employing over six hundred drones and injuring at least eight civilians (AP)
U.S.-Ukraine Talks
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian negotiators for a second day in Florida to review the U.S.-proposed plan for resolving the conflict with Russia, following their earlier consultations with the Kremlin (AP)
A Kremlin spokesperson suggested on Friday that Russia was encouraged by U.S. efforts (Anadolu Agency)
Separately, in Washington, Pentagon officials told European delegations that the United States expects Europe to take over the bulk of NATO’s conventional defense functions by 2027; European diplomats questioned the feasibility of the target, noting that key U.S. intelligence and military capabilities cannot be rapidly replaced (Reuters)
Finally, French authorities suggested they were investigating drone sightings over a nuclear submarine base, as suspected Russian drone incursions continue across Europe (France24)
New U.S. National Security Strategy Deprioritizes Europe
On Europe, the document calls for quickly ending hostilities in Ukraine, reestablishing “strategic stability” with Russia, and “ending the perception, and preventing the reality, of NATO as a perpetually expanding alliance;” it criticizes European officials for “unrealistic expectations” regarding the war in Ukraine, claiming that the “subversion of democratic processes” in Europe is blocking a broad public desire for peace (White House)
The document is a shift from Trump’s first-term national security strategy in 2017, which pledged to work with Europe to “counter Russian subversion and aggression” (White House)
Meanwhile, Turkey’s foreign minister condemned what he said were attacks on ships in Turkey’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, saying they proved the Russia-Ukraine war is expanding; Ukraine has acknowledged attacking some Russia-linked oil ships in the Black Sea, where the cost of shipping insurance has risen (Hurriyet)
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted Moscow would capture Ukraine’s Donbas region through force if Ukraine does not pull its forces back, as the Kremlin rejects peace concessions (Reuters)
Ukraine’s Top Negotiator Meets With European Officials
NATO foreign ministers are discussing the war in Ukraine at a Brussels gathering that will be followed by a direct meeting with Ukrainian envoys (X)
Multiple European officials today accused Russia of faking interest in peace, as Russian officials say President Putin has accepted some U.S. peace provisions and is prepared to keep negotiating (AP; Reuters)
Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot spoke out against an EU proposal to use Russia’s frozen assets in Europe to back a loan for Ukraine, saying it would introduce legal and financial risks; most of the frozen money is located in Belgium (AP)
In response to Belgian concerns, EU leadership proposed two options for funding a large-scale loan to Ukraine: one would use as much as $245 billion in Belgian and other European-held frozen Russian assets to back the loan to Kyiv, while the other would use funds drawn directly from the EU budget (European Commission)
The options are expected to be discussed further at a December 18-19 meeting (Reuters)
Peace Talks in Moscow
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over four hours to discuss possible pathways to ending the war in Ukraine, amid disagreement over European and Ukrainian proposals (Reuters)
Senior Putin aide Yuri Ushakov called the meeting “very useful” for staking out positions, though he noted Russia remained “critical and even negative” toward parts of the peace proposal (Kremlin)
He added that the meeting was “the first time such a direct exchange of views has taken place” on U.S. President Donald Trump’s updated peace plan and added that “no compromise has been found yet” on certain disagreements, without specifying which ones (FT)
Washington said it was still working to refine a framework acceptable to all sides, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the initial U.S. peace proposal “looks better” after revisions (NYT)
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the U.S. push for peace was “important” but called for increased pressure on Russia if it does not succeed (NATO)
To that end, the EU announced a deal today to permanently end the import of Russian liquefied natural gas by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by the end of September 2027 (European Commission)
Before the talks, Putin accused European governments of undermining U.S.-led ceasefire efforts by advancing demands he called incompatible with Russian interests, and warned that Moscow is prepared for war with the continent (Time)
Putin also threatened to escalate attacks on Ukrainian ports and shipping in response to Kyiv’s drone attacks on Russian vessels in the Black Sea, following a strike earlier today (FT; AP).
European Leaders Rally to Support Ukraine
Kyiv’s European allies are holding a series of consultations this week on peace proposals and their ongoing support for Ukraine; European Union (EU) defense ministers are meeting in Brussels today as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy consults with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Al Jazeera)
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of the meeting that “it is clear Russia does not want peace, and therefore we need to make Ukraine as strong as possible” (X)
Meanwhile, U.S. negotiators are due to fly to Moscow today after weekend talks with Ukraine (WSJ)
On the battlefield, a Russian missile strike killed four and wounded more than forty individuals (Reuters)
President Vladimir Putin also asserted that Russian forces had captured the Ukrainian cities of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, a claim Ukrainian officials refuted as a negotiating tactic rather than a reflection of conditions on the ground (ABC)
Ukrainian Officials Meet With Trump Team in Florida
Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov met with Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner (Kyiv Independent)
Umerov replaced former presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak as Ukraine’s chief negotiator after Yermak’s resignation on Friday amid a corruption probe (AP)
While officials offered few details about the talks, Rubio said that the United States wants to ensure Ukraine never faces another invasion and achieves economic prosperity (NBC)
An unnamed senior U.S. official told the Wall Street Journal that the talks covered security guarantees, land swaps, and possible elections (WSJ)
The flurry of shuttle diplomacy is part of a renewed effort to end the war, with Zelenskyy writing on social media that the coming days are “important” (X)
While both Ukrainian and U.S. officials emphasized their commitment to Ukraine’s security, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that “much work remains” and that Russia will “have to be part of the equation” (State)
Ukraine continues its attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure, and said over the weekend that it hit two tankers carrying Russian oil (CNN)
Deadly Russian Strikes in Kyiv
Russian missiles and drones killed at least three people, while Ukrainian operations disrupted a key Russian oil terminal near Novorossiysk; the attacks come alongside a push for peace talks, as Ukrainian officials traveled to the United States for renewed negotiations (AP)
Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff Resigns as Corruption Probe Deepens
The resignation came amid an expanding investigation into alleged kickbacks tied to state contracts, marking the highest-level departure in Kyiv since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion; the shake-up threatens to complicate ongoing diplomacy as U.S. and European envoys seek progress toward a negotiated settlement with Moscow (NYT)
Separately, two vessels tied to Russia’s sanctioned fleet were damaged by blasts off Turkey’s Black Sea coast, sparking fires and triggering emergency responses from Turkish authorities (Reuters)
Ukraine later suggested it had struck the vessels with drones, prompting Turkish condemnation (AP)
Putin Suggests Openness to U.S. Peace Proposal
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the peace initiative could serve as a basis for negotiations but warned that fighting would continue unless Ukrainian forces pull back from contested territory; analysts suggested the U.S. proposal was heavily favorable towards Russia (AP)
In Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian troops continued to clash in Pokrovsk; Putin suggested Russia had surrounded the city, though Ukrainian military leaders pushed back on the claim (Reuters)
Moscow Rejects Peace Concessions
A senior Russian official said the Kremlin will not soften its core demands in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine as U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, plans a visit to Moscow for further talks; the official’s statement follows the release of a recording suggesting Witkoff advised Russian officials on how to frame proposals to Washington, stirring backlash among U.S. lawmakers and European allies (NYT)
Reuters reported that the initial U.S. peace framework incorporated material from a paper submitted by Moscow outlining its desired terms for ending the war; U.S. officials later revised the plan after European allies and Ukraine expressed concerns (Reuters)
U.S. Official Says Ukraine Agrees to Peace Deal
A U.S. official claimed only “minor details” remained outstanding, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more work was needed; the White House announced that further talks were required among Russia, Ukraine, and the United States (CNN)
Zelenskyy held bilateral calls with several European leaders ahead of a meeting with Ukraine’s European backers earlier in the day (European Commission)
Russian overnight attacks on Kyiv killed at least seven people, while Ukrainian officials raised the death toll from an earlier strike in the city of Ternopil to thirty-four (AP; NPR)
In Lithuania, Vilnius Airport resumed normal operations after two overnight shutdowns triggered by balloons that drifted into its airspace, as officials accuse Belarus of enabling the disruptive balloon launches (Reuters)
Foreign incursions also occurred in Romania, where NATO aircraft intercepted a drone that traveled more than 100 kilometers inside Romanian territory, its farthest penetration to date (Guardian)
Reactions to New Trump Peace Framework
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that this weekend’s talks with the United States in Geneva had enabled Ukraine “to keep extremely sensitive issues on the table” (President of Ukraine)
Ukraine will continue consulting with European allies in the coming days, according to Zelenskyy’s chief of staff (WSJ)
Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on social media that while steps were taken yesterday toward a just peace, there were still unresolved issues (X)
A Kremlin spokesperson said that Moscow has not received an official update on the peace plan, which Rubio said would need to be approved by Trump and Zelenskyy before being presented back to Russia (NBC)
Earlier, a Russian foreign policy official suggested that the European counterproposal to the U.S. plan was unacceptable to Moscow (Reuters)
U.S.-Ukraine Joint Statement Announces New Framework for Ending War
Ukraine and the United States said in a joint statement that their peace talks in Geneva had been “highly productive,” and affirmed that peace must ensure “Ukraine’s security, stability, and reconstruction” (White House)
U.S. President Donald Trump has set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to respond to the proposal (The Hill)
The changes came after Kyiv pushed back on elements of a previous U.S. plan (AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was optimistic that an agreement could be reached “very soon,” though he acknowledged negotiations could stretch longer (State)
Senior officials from several of Ukraine’s European allies attended part of the talks (FT)
Widely reported details of the Trump administration’s draft peace plan said that it included major concessions by Kyiv, prompting European allies to create a detailed counterproposal; a version of Europe’s counterproposal published by Reuters included a higher cap on the size of Ukraine’s military and stronger language about funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction (Reuters)
Drone Sightings in the Netherlands
Officials suspended operations at Eindhoven Airport after multiple drones were detected nearby, prompting Dutch defense officials to implement security measures before traffic resumed later in the night; the incident is the latest in a series of unexplained drone incursions across Europe (Reuters)
U.S. and Ukrainian Officials Meet in Kyiv
A U.S. Army spokesperson said today’s talks aim “to discuss efforts to end the war” and follow a reported new U.S. peace proposal for Ukraine (BBC)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready for “clear and honest work” with the United States regarding Trump’s plan to end the war (X)
The White House press secretary said the proposal was prepared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff (AP)
Axios, which first reported the story, noted the plan was initially crafted with Russian, but not Ukrainian, input (Axios)
Multiple news outlets have confirmed the existence of the U.S. plan, reportedly spurred by Washington’s twenty-point peace plan for Gaza (FT)
The proposal calls for sweeping territorial and security concessions by Ukraine, while a separate U.S. document seen by the Wall Street Journal describes ten-year U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine that stop short of direct military assistance (WSJ)
Washington warned it could scale back intelligence and weapons support unless Kyiv agrees to the outline of the peace plan, Reuters reported (Reuters)
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that any successful peace proposal would need “Ukrainians and Europeans on board” (X)
Russia suggested it had not yet received the peace plan but that addressing the “root causes” of the conflict remains necessary (Axios; BBC)
Separately, the Ukrainian military suggested it was successfully blocking Russian forces from pushing further in the city of Pokrovsk, as heavy weeks-long clashes continue (Facebook)
In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian strike killed five and injured several others (Kyiv Post)
New Reported U.S. Peace Plan for Ukraine
The plan would force Ukraine to cede the entire eastern Donbas region, including territory it currently controls, recognize the Crimean peninsula and other occupied territories as Russian, reduce the size of its military, relinquish access to some long-range weapons, and prohibit foreign troops from Ukrainian-occupied territory after a ceasefire (NYT)
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the details, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media that Kyiv has supported “every strong and fair proposal aimed at ending this war” (X)
Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister suggested that Moscow was pushing “a factory of unrealistic plans,” though he did not directly reference the U.S. proposal (X)
The Kremlin declined to comment when asked about the reports (AFP)
Despite the plan’s heavy demands on Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote that “achieving a durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions” (X)
Separately, Washington, London, and Canberra unveiled coordinated sanctions targeting Russia-based companies that enable ransomware and phishing operations, aiming to disrupt the infrastructure used by major cybercriminal groups (Reuters)
The United States also approved the possible sale of the highly advanced Patriot missile defense system to Kyiv (Kyiv Post)
Meanwhile, fighter jets were dispatched in Romania following a drone incursion into its borders, as Russian violations of NATO airspace continue (Newsweek)
Lithuania, which instituted weeks-long border closures with Belarus over balloons that disrupted airport operations, said it will restore border crossings today, though it may close them again if necessary (AP)
Push to Accelerate Ukraine Diplomacy
Trump dispatched multiple senior army officials to Kyiv, the Wall Street Journal reported (WSJ)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will head to Turkey this week to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in hopes of advancing ceasefire discussions, though Russia said it will not attend, and U.S. participation remains uncertain (AP)
Spain also pledged nearly $1 billion in military and energy aid to Ukraine (X)
In Russia, the military intercepted four Ukrainian drones headed towards Moscow, forcing the city’s two largest airports to temporarily halt operations (Reuters)
Finally, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev said he recently discussed another potential prisoner swap with U.S. officials, who confirmed their interest, though he stressed a deal is not currently close (Axios)
Ukraine’s Defense, Energy Deals
Ukraine plans to acquire as many as one hundred French fighter jets over the next decade, the presidents of both countries said today (Politico)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was also looking to acquire French air-defense systems, radars, and air-to-air missiles and bombs (X)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said an overnight missile attack on the city of Balakliia killed three people and injured ten others, while additional strikes in the Kharkiv region led to power outages (Reuters)
In Ukraine’s Odesa region, a Russian drone hit the Turkish-flagged MT Orinda while it was unloading liquefied petroleum gas, sparking fires and damaging nearby port infrastructure amid a broader wave of Russian overnight attacks across the Odesa region (AP)
Russia-Ukraine Prison Exchange Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is seeking to revive prisoner-swap agreements mediated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, aiming to return roughly 1,200 Ukrainians (AP)
Moscow later confirmed that talks about a possible exchange were ongoing (Reuters)
Russian Drone Attack on Kyiv Kills Six
Two others were killed in attacks in the country’s south (Reuters)
The offensive came during a turbulent political week for Ukraine; following an announcement of a probe into the state power company, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the government would audit multiple state companies (X)
Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Kremlin claimed it thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to assassinate a senior Russian official (Reuters)
The Russian Defense Ministry also announced that North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region are now heavily involved in clearing mines left after Ukraine’s months-long incursion (Anadolu Agency)
In Poland, authorities announced they would reopen two border crossings with Belarus that have been closed since September due to Russian drone incursions; Lithuania, which has likewise shuttered its crossings, suggested it would not reopen them until at least the end of November (Euronews)
EU Funding for Ukraine
In Brussels, European finance ministers agreed that drawing on revenue from Russia’s frozen reserves is the most practical way to cover Ukraine’s financing needs through 2027, offering more than $160 billion without adding to member-state debt; Belgium urged stronger legal safeguards given the risk of Russian litigation over the assets (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Moscow repeated its seeming openness to negotiations, claiming that Ukraine would have no choice but to return to talks as Russian military pressure intensifies (Anadolu Agency)
Ukrainian Minister Suspended
Ukraine suspended its justice minister as a probe into a corruption scheme tied to the country’s nuclear power company advances, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced (AP)
He was not immediately charged and agreed to the suspension (WaPo)
Two Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies said they were probing a scheme linked to the same nuclear company that may have laundered up to $100 million (Bloomberg)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities began mass evacuations from frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia as heavy Russian attacks forced troops to retreat from at least six villages, with top general Oleksandr Syrskyi warning of a “significant deterioration” in Ukraine’s military position (Reuters)
In Russia, a foreign ministry official suggested that Moscow is ready to restart talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, while British officials also attempt to initiate a back-channel dialogue (RFERL; FT)
Finally, the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers jointly pledged to maintain economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine following a meeting in Canada (State)
In talks regarding a potential end to the war, Russia has made a demand that Ukraine cannot agree to, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters (State)