Ukraine war briefing: battlefield gains bolstering Kyiv’s hand in US-led peace talks, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy emphasized that every accomplished task and defensive operation that delivers results strengthens Ukraine's hand in negotiations. He noted that top military commander Mykhailo Drapatyi had presented a report highlighting heavy recent losses by Russian forces, while Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian targets, including oil industry sites, were proving effective.

Unprecedented Russian Losses

Russia's battlefield losses have reached unprecedented levels in its modern history, with over 400,000 Russians killed in Ukraine according to data leaked from Rosstat. The information, obtained by the Belarusian opposition-linked hacker group Cyber Partisans and Ukrainian collective Silent Crow, shows 412,576 death certificates explicitly linked to the war.

US-Led Peace Talks

US negotiators believe Zelenskyy and Putin may compromise on territory, with each side ceding some ground. Under the proposed deal, Ukraine would receive an end to the war, security guarantees, and a roadmap to EU accession. Donald Trump mentioned Ukraine would have "a little bit different shape" under the settlement, though he didn't elaborate.

European Inclusion

European powers including France, Germany, and the European Commission will send officials to the talks, though Russia has opposed European participation. Ukrainian delegates will meet separately to brief European allies. EU foreign ministers pressed Rubio to ensure Europe's representation, with German foreign minister Johann Wadephul stating: "Europe belongs at this table. There can be no solution without Europe – only with Europe." Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov noted Trump's team had placed "collective security" at the top of the agenda.

Winter Attacks

Russia's defense ministry confirmed attacks on four electrical substations in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions, part of a campaign to deny Ukrainian civilians heating and electricity during winter. Zelenskyy announced the EU had activated an emergency mechanism to fund power grid repairs. Russian forces also struck a warehouse in Odesa containing food supplies for schools and kindergartens, killing three people.