Live blog: Ukraine to hold next peace formula talks in Davos — Zelenskyy

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the next meeting on Ukraine's peace formula would be held in Davos, Switzerland but he gave no date for the meeting.

In addition, he declared Ukraine's military had scored "a big victory" on the Black Sea, where Kiev has launched successful strikes on Russian warships, and that they would receive more Patriot air defence systems to bolster their forces this winter.

Ukraine's military also requested mobilisation of up to 500,000 more troops but Zelenskyy said that he has asked for further details before deciding on this matter but believes Ukraine can win the war with Russia more quickly if resilient.

Looking ahead, Zelenskyy also said that if Donald Trump is elected US president in 2024, it could change significantly how the war in Ukraine plays out.

More updates 👇

1739 GMT — Russia's military has momentum in Ukraine and is poised to meet Moscow's goals: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that his country's military has seized the initiative in Ukraine after repelling a months-long counteroffensive and is well-positioned to achieve Moscow's goals.

Earlier, Putin praised Russian society for being unified in support of the offensive in Ukraine at a meeting of the defence ministry.

He went on to thank "everyone who helps our fighters at the front, transfers money, sends cars and drones and body armour" and praised a "patriotic spirit of solidarity."

1725 GMT — US Senate leaders say Ukraine, border deal not likely soon

Leaders of the US Senate have said a deal to provide additional aid to Ukraine and bolster US border security was not likely to come together soon, with one senior Democrat saying that action would probably be postponed until January.

For his part, Zelenskyy said the United States would not go back on the promises made to Ukraine, even after Congress failed to agree on some $60 billion in aid for Kiev.

"I am confident that the United States will not betray us, that what we agreed on in the United States will be fulfilled, fully," Zelenskyy said during the end-of-year press conference.

1618 GMT — Russian former soldier wants to testify to ICC over war crimes witnessed

A former Russian soldier has sought asylum in the Netherlands and wants to testify at the International Criminal Court (ICC) about war crimes by Russia that he witnessed while fighting in Ukraine, a Dutch legal source told Reuters.

The man, who identified himself in Dutch media as 60-year-old Igor Salikov, said he had been a member of the Russian-backed forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and had worked as an instructor for the Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine.

Ukraine's top war crimes prosecutor Yurii Belousov told Reuters that Salikov had already been in touch with Ukrainian prosecutors for more than six months and given testimony.

"He gave important testimony, some of which has already been confirmed, about the invasion of February 24, 2022. He reported some war crimes, which we are investigating, and some have already been confirmed," Belousov told Reuters in a text message.

1531 GMT — Poland convicts 14 foreigners of spying for Russia

A Polish court has convicted 14 citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine for belonging to a spy ring preparing acts of sabotage on behalf of Moscow.

The defendants were charged last month for offences including seeking to derail trains carrying aid to neighbouring Ukraine, and monitoring critical infrastructure and military facilities in the NATO member.

They received jail terms ranging from 13 months to six years.

"The court found all the defendants guilty of the crimes charged, and found some of them to be operating within an organised criminal group," Judge Jaro Slaw Kowalski said as he delivered the verdict.

1354 GMT — Denmark to donate CV90 military vehicles to Ukraine

Denmark will join Sweden in donating CV90 infantry fighting vehicles as well as the production of new vehicles worth $264 million (1.8 billion Danish kroner) to Ukraine, according to the Danish Defence Ministry.

Copenhagen’s decision follows Ukraine’s demand for more of the vehicles after Sweden donated 50 CV90s.

1347 GMT — Italy to prolong war supplies to Ukraine until the end of 2024

Italy's cabinet has passed a law decree that allows it to continue supplying until the end of 2024 "means, materials and equipment" to Ukraine to support its war effort against Russia, a defence ministry statement said.

Supplies will include not only weapons but also power generators and "everything needed to support military operations in defence of unarmed civilians," the statement said, adding the government would ask parliament to confirm the decision.

1347 GMT — UN human rights chief urges Russia to stop using force against Ukraine

The UN human rights chief has urged Russia to "immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine," as Moscow's war on its neighbour is entering its second winter.

"There is only one solution to this tragic and far-reaching conflict: a just peace," Volker Turk said.

"In accordance with General Assembly Resolution ES-11/1 and the binding order by the International Court of Justice, the Russian Federation should immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine."

1342 GMT — EU almost out of options on further sanctions: Russia

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that the latest package of anti-Russian sanctions shows the EU is almost out of options for increasing sanction pressure.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Peskov said the new restrictive measures show there are fewer and fewer areas where sanctions may be imposed.

He said the decision to ban the export of diamonds was "predictable” and Russian authorities were preparing for it.

Sanctions against assets of the defence industry enterprises present a "small danger" because "there are simply no such assets in the EU," he added.

1302 GMT — EU to extend emergency gas price cap for another year

The European Union is set to extend its emergency cap on gas prices for another 12 months to serve as a safeguard against possible energy price shocks, after energy ministers backed the plan.

The EU first agreed to the gas price limit in December 2022, after months of cripplingly high energy prices caused by Russia slashing gas supplies to Europe after its invasion of Ukraine.

The price cap had been due to expire in February 2024 and will now apply until the end of January 2025. The agreement by ministers needs to be adopted in writing, but that step is usually a formality.

1154 GMT — Turkish president says he will speak with Putin to revive Black Sea Grain Initiative

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he plans to speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

"We will soon meet with Russian President Putin and say, 'Let us do everything we can to keep the Grain Corridor operational.' Hopefully, we will continue on our way with positive answers," Erdogan said while speaking to journalists on board the presidential plane returning from Hungary.

Describing the grain corridor mechanism as a "positive step" toward a "just" world, he said Türkiye will monitor the follow-up of this plan.

0914 GMT — France, UK say they will support Ukraine 'for as long as it takes'

France and the UK will support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion "for as long as it takes", British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, adding it was "essential" that President Vladimir Putin was defeated.

"Britain and France have been staunch supporters of Ukraine and we will continue to be for as long as it takes," Cameron said after talks in Paris with French counterpart Catherine Colonna, adding: "I have no doubt that we can make sure Putin loses and it is essential he does lose."

0905 GMT — UN decries Russia's 'extensive failure' to protect civilians in Ukraine

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said there had been an "extensive failure" by Russia to take adequate measures to protect civilians in Ukraine and that there were indications that Russian forces had committed war crimes there.

"There has been extensive failure by the Russian Federation to take adequate measures to protect civilians and protect civilian objects against the effects of their attacks," Turk said at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He added that his office's monitoring indicated "gross violations of international human rights law, serious violations of international humanitarian law, and war crimes, primarily by the forces of the Russian Federation".

0638 GMT — Injured Ukrainian soldiers evacuated amid intense clashes in Donetsk region

Injured soldiers in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region have been evacuated amid intense clashes with Russian forces in the area, especially near the city of Avdiivka.

Soldiers who are injured on the front line are evacuated by medical teams to "stabilization points" far from where the conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues.

Medical teams immediately go to the front and stay in the trenches upon receiving news of injured soldiers in order to provide them with first aid.

They prefer to work in the night to avoid possible drone or artillery attacks, while also carrying out their duties in dangerous environments during the day in cases where those injured are in serious condition.

"Our main duty is to stop the bleeding of the wounded, apply a tourniquet, bandage them and give them medicine to bring them to the stabilization point," a Ukrainian medical team commander, codenamed Velikiy, told Anadolu in an interview.

0018 GMT — Moldovan PM says anti-aircraft system needed to counter Russia

Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that Moldova needed an upgraded anti-aircraft defence system to counter threats from Russia heightened by Moscow's offensive on Ukraine, its eastern neighbour.

Recean said Moldova intended, with the help of its EU and NATO allies, to acquire a modern air defence system to defend its airports and major infrastructure sites.

"If the Kremlin decides to attack us, just what are we going to do?" Recean told a TV8 interviewer. "Neutrality will not protect Moldova."

Recean said developed countries "invest in their security to ensure that their citizens and businesses feel safe. If they don't have that, people leave and take their capital with them. And that is what is now happening in Moldova."

Recean repeated the main thesis of the new security strategy in singling out Russia as the biggest threat facing his country.

"The threat to our security is the Kremlin, the Russian Federation and how it relates to our neighbours and to us," he told TV8.

2400 GMT — US plans one more aid package for Ukraine, then up to Congress

President Joe Biden is planning one more military aid package in December for Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, the White House said, then further assistance to Kiev will require an agreement in Congress where prospects for a deal were uncertain.

"When that one's done ... we will have no more replenishment authority available to us, and we're going to need Congress to act without delay," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.

Talks continued on Monday in the Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority, on a deal that would include aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as new measures to improve security at the US-Mexico border.

Republicans have insisted that improved border security be part of any deal on Ukraine aid, although it was unclear whether senators had enough time to clinch an agreement in the days remaining before leaving for a holiday break.

"Over the past week, Democrats and Republicans have made important progress towards an agreement on the national security supplemental," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said on Monday.

"While the job is not finished, I am confident we're headed in the right direction."

However, Schumer's Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell — whose support would be needed to pass such a bill — said it would "require some time" to reach a deal.

Another top Senate Republican, John Thune, sounded a similar note, telling reporters, "Obviously, we are not going to get this done this week. We all know that now."

For our live updates from Monday (December 18), click here.