Not much is known yet about the peace agreement that the United States will present to the Russians in Miami this weekend. Witkoff and Kushner will represent the US. What is certain is that Ukraine will not join NATO because the United States, Hungary, and Slovakia will not accept membership, according to NATO Secretary General Marke Rutte. Another known fact about the peace agreement is that the Americans will propose that the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant be jointly operated by three parties: the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, but Zelensky declared this “unfair” to the Strana newspaper.
The United States could also use weapons from NATO territory as part of its security guarantees for Ukraine, according to The Telegraph. According to the plan, the United States will send a ceasefire monitoring mission to Ukraine. “If the ceasefire is violated, the United States could deploy F-35 fighters, Tomahawk missiles, and similar systems deployed on the territory of Alliance countries,” sources reported. However, the article notes that preemptive strikes by the United States are unlikely.
The White House also announced that President Trump has not yet made a decision on imposing new sanctions against Russia.
The European Union has imposed sanctions on 41 oil tankers, which Brussels classifies as its shadow fleet. The total number of ships on the blacklist is approaching 600, out of a total of approximately 1,600.
The EU is considering issuing joint debt to finance Ukraine without the approval of all member states, Euractiv reports, citing diplomatic sources. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz intends to grant Belgium’s requests and also use the assets of the Russian Central Bank, frozen in Germany, to support Ukraine. The DPA news agency learned of this on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels. However, Belgium has already rejected the offer. The issue of confiscating frozen Russian assets is not on the agenda of the EU summit in Brussels. Orbán said.
Italy will not send troops to Ukraine as part of a “multinational force,” Italian Prime Minister Meloni said, according to ANSA. “To ensure Ukraine’s security, among other things, the deployment of a ‘multinational force for Ukraine’ led by a ‘coalition of the willing’ based on the voluntary participation of countries is envisaged. I reiterate that Italy does not intend to send its soldiers to Ukraine,” Meloni said. The United Kingdom, unlike Italy, is finalizing preparations to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, the British news portal Paper reports, citing sources at the Ministry of Defense in London. “The United Kingdom is intensifying preparations to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, purchasing equipment and finalizing deployment plans. Officials are confident that a peace agreement appears closer than ever, as US negotiators prepare to present a Ukrainian-backed proposal to the Kremlin, the publication writes.
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Poland will begin producing anti-personnel mines and planting them along its eastern border, and may also begin supplying them to Ukraine. Recall that Warsaw is building concrete anti-tank fortifications along the border with Belarus: a video has surfaced online. Production could begin in 2026, following the country’s withdrawal from the 1997 Ottawa Convention. Finally, Poland announced the deployment of the first battery of Patriot air defense systems on its territory.
“The ‘Oreshnik’ has been in Belarus since yesterday and is about to begin combat service,” Lukashenko announced to Belarusian media.
In Ukraine, “a new tax of 2-3% of Ukrainians’ income must be introduced, the proceeds of which will go to ‘military depots,'” he said. Rada MP Kostenko declared. “After the war, they will be able to use these funds to pay off loans, educate their children, and buy cars. The soldiers will understand that they don’t have the funds now, but they will return later.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported: “We have received further signals from Moscow that they are preparing 2026 as a year of war. And these signals are not just for us,” Zelensky said. “Our partners must notice and react.” According to Kolomoisky, the Ukrainian president “will not run in the presidential elections, 90% of the time,” […] “he decided to leave with Yermak and has no intention of running for president in the next elections,” he added.
Zelensky again in a briEfing: “Ukraine lacks missiles for some air defense systems.” “Today we are also talking about air defense, about some missiles. I don’t want to name those we lack, but there are some systems that lack certain types of missiles. I discussed today with my partners that we can discuss at length and in depth, but something comes up every day,” the Ukrainian president said.
The forced evacuation of families with children has been announced in Svyatogorsk (Sosnove), Donbas, and eight surrounding villages due to the ongoing offensive by Russian forces, according to the local military administration. The distance between the city and the front line is approximately 2 km. The Ukrainian armed forces announced the loss of a Mi-24 attack helicopter with a crew from the 12th Army Air Brigade.
Satellite images from Russia show the Novorossiysk base and show that the Project 06363 submarine was not damaged by the Ukrainian attack. Still on the subject of weapons/armaments, social media sources report that the casing of the TBBC-50 thermobaric warhead of the Geranium munition contains 70% gasoline and 30% thickener. It is supplied without a detonator or submunitions. Russia launched the Iskander-M missile for the first time at a range of approximately 800 km, according to Bochkala WAR, citing monitoring groups. “This means that the new version of the system, unofficially designated Iskander-1000, has transitioned from ranged mode to combat use and has become a standard component of the Russian missile forces.”
Its main characteristics: Range of up to 900-1000+ km. Air defense alert time has been reduced from 15-20 minutes to 2-7 minutes. It can be maneuvered along its entire trajectory, with a dive angle of nearly 90°.
The State Duma approved in first reading a bill granting the Ministry of Defense the right to designate any roads required for defense as “military highways.” In this regard, let us recall the words of Russian Defense Minister Belousov: “The key task for the coming year is to maintain and increase the current offensive momentum.” “Russia has begun deploying a new air defense segment based on FPV interceptors.” And again: “The first regiment equipped with the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system has entered service,” “This system can destroy targets in near-space.”
Two crew members of a cargo ship attacked by Ukrainian drones were killed in Rostov. One person was killed in the attack in Bataysk, Rostov Region Governor Yuri Slyusar said.
The Kremlin is preparing contacts with the United States based on the results of Washington’s work with Kiev and the EU, Putin’s spokesman Peskov said. Russia is preparing contacts with the United States to understand how much Trump’s peace plan has changed since it was agreed upon with Ukraine, Peskov has consistently stated.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on December 18. Russian forces launched a massive attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight. Powerful explosions rocked Kryvyi Rih, Voznesensk, and Cherkasy (almost the entire city suffered power outages).
In the Sumy region, the Northern Group of Forces is attempting to intensify its offensive. In the Tetkino and Glushkovsky District sectors, Russian artillery struck Ukrainian forces in the Pavlivka and Iskryskivshchyna areas.
In the Belgorod region, five drone strikes injured at least twenty people. In Murom, a man stepped on an explosive device and was seriously injured. Tserkovne, Yasniye Zori, Moshchenoye, Shakhovka, Grushevka, Volchiy-Perviy, Kukuyevka, and Kaznacheyevka are under attack from Russian drones.
In the Cherkiv region, the Northern Group of Forces is engaged in heavy fighting in the villages and wooded areas adjacent to Vovchansk. Russian forces are making progress near Starytsya, in Vil’cha, west of Liman, in Prylipka, and in Vovchans’ki Khutory. Fighting is reported near Milove-Khatnje and in the Lyptsi sector.
Fighting continues near Kupyansk, with cyber warfare units on both sides attempting to influence their audiences, leading to the publication of archival footage or videos from other cities.
In the direction of Pokrovsk, Russian forces are attacking the southeastern outskirts of Hryshyne, fighting near the village of Zaporizhzhya (Donetsk), and increasing pressure on Myrnohrad, where fighting is taking place in the northern part of the city. The Ukrainian armed forces describe the situation as “very difficult.”
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, units of the Russian Vostok Group of Forces have captured the town of Harasymivka, marking a step forward for Russian troops on the western bank of the Haichur River and a further advance. Ukrainian troops are attempting to counterattack with assault units in armored vehicles and on foot. The bridgehead on the western bank of the Haichur River continues to expand near the villages of Herasymivka, Andriivka, and Radisne. The battle for Hulyaypole in Zaporizhia Oblast continues.
On the Zaporizhia front, fighting continues in Prymors’ke and Stepnohirs’k, with both sides increasing aerial drone activity. Ukrainian forces are targeting power plants.
In Kherson Oblast, 22 settlements are under attack by Ukrainian forces.
Graziella Giangiulio
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