Anna Matveeva, a visiting research fellow at King's College London’s Russia Institute, explains why the new Ukrainian 20-point plan is more of a proposal than anything concrete the Russians might accept at face value.

Kyiv

Anna Matveeva, a senior visiting research fellow at the Russia Institute, discussed Ukraine's recently proposed 20-point peace plan, which aims to freeze the front line and create demilitarized buffer zones in eastern Ukraine. She characterized the plan as a preliminary outline rather than a concrete proposal, noting the significant challenges in establishing such zones due to ongoing fighting and fragmented control of territories.

Matveeva emphasized that Russia is unlikely to agree to a temporary ceasefire or separation of forces, both of which are typically part of United Nations agreements. She also highlighted the strategic importance of cities like Kramatorsk and Slavyansk to Russia, referencing the historical context of the 2014 Donbass rebellion and the unrecognized referendum in the region.

Expert: Ukraine's peace plan more of 'a general sketch'

For more, I'm now joined by Anna Matveeva. She is a senior visiting research fellow at the Russia Institute specializing in conflict and peace studies. Welcome. Anna, Zelensky is due to meet with Donald Trump over the weekend. The latest plan, that 20-point proposal that would freeze the front line but open the door for Ukraine to pull back troops from the east, where, of course, we have those demilitarized buffer zones that they want to talk about creating. What do you make of the plan? I think it's very much like some kind of a general sketch of a proposal, rather than something which they would imagine Russia would agree to, because in order to create a demilitarized zone, it is a huge undertaking, because you don't know where exactly what will happen. Right now, fighting is all over the place, as your report just said, but I have to correct that it's actually 18 percent of the Donetsk region, which is controlled by the Ukrainian government. So, first, a pack of lines of contact. Fighting going on. Very difficult to monitor any of this regime. Russia certainly is not going to agree to a temporary ceasefire and separation of forces, which normally accompanies this kind of agreements within the UN, and they also want certainty. There has been a call, I think, earlier today, between the Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and the American side, and they discussed what were the signals given to the Russian negotiation team just before the Christmas in Miami, Florida. And they might be quite different, because the plan which has been put forward by Zelensky, which he has published, doesn't really say that it is the actual Trump-endorsed plan or proposal. So, perhaps there is much more to that. There is also a kind of double bottom. So we are seeing one of the twists and turns in this saga, but I have to say why Kramatorsk and Slavyansk are so very important for Russia. Because in their thinking, that was the cradle of the original Russian spring. In spring 2014, the Donbass rebellion, people did not like the change of government in Kiev, opposed Euromaidan, felt threatened, and that created that kind of movement, which later spread and turned into a full-fledged war. So that's kind of a foundational myth, if you like, of that current war. Also, there was a referendum, which was organized on these territories. People did vote in it. Certainly it was not recognized by the government in Kiev or international community, but it was a referendum. And say, from Moscow's point of view, they think that they actually have constituency that there will be enough people who would support Russian cause. Anna Matveeva, Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Russia Institute. Thank you very much. Thank you.

The latest attack comes as presidents Zelenskyy and Trump prepare to meet in Florida on Sunday amid ongoing efforts to end the war.

One dead many injured after Russia launches massive attack on Kyiv

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies’ assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from accessing them.

Beijing

China sanctions 20 American companies over arms sales to Taiwan

Somalia reacted angrily Friday (December 26) after Israel formally recognised the northern region of Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state" -- the first country to do so. U.S. President Donald Trump said he opposed U.S. recognition of Somaliland in an interview with the New York Post.

Somaliland

Somalia denounces Israeli recognition of Somaliland

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an "immediate" ceasefire on Saturday (December 26), the two countries said in a joint statement, pledging to end border clashes that killed dozens of people.

Buri Ram

Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire

Somaliland, a territory of more than 3 million people in the Horn of Africa, seceded from Somalia more than three decades ago, but it hadn't internationally been recognized as an independent state by any country.

Israel becomes first country to recognize Somaliland

Some of the stabbed victims remain in serious condition. A 38-year-old man was arrested for alleged attempted murder at the factory, authorities said.

Mishima

At least 15 injured in chemical attack, stabbing at Japan factory

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "horrific killing spree" and pledged Israel would reinforce its security.

Jerusalem

Palestinian man kills two in car, knife attack in northern Israel

Munitions factories are expected to expand capacity and build new plants as the regime in Pyongyang intensifies weapons development and furthers its ties with Russia.

Pyongyang

Kim Jong-un orders North Korea to boost missile production in 2026

The United States launched airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Nigeria's Sokoto State on Thursday. Nigerian authorities denied Trump's claim of mass killings of Christians amid mixed reactions to the U.S. intervention.

Abuja

Nigeria confirms cooperation with U.S. strikes on IS targets

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday (December 26) he planned to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump soon and that a lot could be decided before the New Year as Washington pushes diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.

Washington

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskiy: 'A lot' can be decided before New Year ahead of Trump talk

The United States carried out airstrikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria's government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday, claiming the group had been targeting Christians in the region.

U.S. launches 'deadly' airstrikes in Nigeria targeting ISIS: Trump

Official results show Asfura edged out his main rival Salvador Nasralla by less than one percentage point. Marred by delays and fraud claims, the Honduran election continues Latin America's shift to the right.

Tegucigalpa

Honduras: Trump ally Nasry Asfura wins disputed presidency

Several people were killed in Southern California when severe storms with heavy rain caused mudslides and flooding, which was made worse in areas affected by wildfires in January.

Heavy rain, flooding turns deadly in California

The U.S. Department of Justice says it has found more than a million more documents potentially tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, delaying a full release for weeks while officials redact details to protect victims.

DOJ reviews over 1 million newly found Epstein documents

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Christmas Mass Wednesday evening where he described the celebration as a feast of "faith, charity and hope". He reminded the faithful that refusing to help the poor and vulnerable is comparable to rejecting God altogether.

Rome

Pope Leo reminds believers to help the poor in first Christmas mass

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled progress in a Ukraine-Russia peace plan, after he told journalists about a new draft that would include a free economic zone and demilitarization. Holly Williams has the latest.

Zelenskyy signals progress with Ukraine-Russia peace plan

Democrats and some Republicans are blasting the Justice Department over its handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which included major redactions.

U.S. lawmakers blast DOJ over Epstein files release

Bolsonaro is expected to undergo the procedure on 25 December.

Brasília

Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro temporarily leaves prison for surgery

Two police officers have been killed in an explosion in Moscow, Russian investigators said on Wednesday. Their deaths come just two days after a car bomb killed a top general in the same area of the Russia capital.

Moscow

Three people killed in Moscow car explosion, Russian authorities say

European intelligence agencies say investigations into Russian interference now consume as much time as terrorist threats.

Paris

Pro-Russian hackers claim French postal service cyberattack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country and the United States have reached a consensus on several critical issues aimed at bringing an end to the conflict with Russia — but sensitivities around territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland and the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain unresolved.

U.S., Ukraine reach consensus on some key issues to end war with Russia

The latest Epstein file release alleges a connection between former prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, including emails in which an individual identified as 'A' requested 'inappropriate friends.'

London

Latest Epstein release alleges new link to ex-prince Andrew

The US and Venezuela are in a war of words at the UN Security council following America's seizure of ships off Venezuela's coast. Venezuela's ambassador strongly condemned the U.S. actions, labeling them as extrajudicial executions and a military blockade intended to destabilize the country.

New York

U.S., Venezuela in war of words at UNSC over military strikes

Two people are dead after an explosion at a nursing home in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and several are still missing, Gov. Josh Shapiro said.

Bristol

Two dead, several missing after nursing home explosion in Pennsylvania

A Delaware state trooper was killed Tuesday during a shooting at a Wilmington DMV, the Delaware State Police said. The state's governor confirmed the shooter is also dead.

Wilmington

Delaware state trooper killed in DMV shooting, officials say

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that President Trump cannot deploy the National Guard troops to Chicago as a legal challenge moves ahead.

Supreme Court blocks deployment of National Guard to Illinois

The Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including an email from a prosecutor indicating President Donald Trump had traveled aboard his private jet "many more times than previously has been reported."

Trump flew on Epstein jet 8 times according to newly released files

The Libyan army's chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died in a plane crash after leaving Turkey's capital Ankara, the prime minister of Libya's internationally-recognized government said, adding that four others were on the jet as well.

Haymana

Libyan army's chief dies in plane crash in Turkey

Two men have been found guilty of plotting to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community in England, a planned attack investigators say demonstrates the resurgent risk posed by the militant group.

Bolton

Two men found guilty of UK plot to kill Jews as IS fears grow

The FDA has approved the pill version of the weight loss drug Wegovy, the first oral medication of its kind. The new pills are expected to be available in a few weeks.

Breakdown