Zelensky considers accepting peacekeeping forces

After meeting with Donald Trump in Paris on December 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would call his US counterpart Joe Biden to discuss the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO and accepting peacekeeping forces.

Russian infantry in Ukraine

Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

Russia attacks Ukraine's military and railway infrastructure

On December 9, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had attacked railway facilities and military infrastructure serving the transportation of equipment supplied by the West to the Ukrainian army.

"Tactical aviation units, armed drones, missile and artillery units of Russian armed forces groups attacked military airport infrastructure, railways transporting Western equipment to the Ukrainian army, UAV assembly sites and warehouses, as well as a fuel depot," Sputnik News reported.

Russia said it had shelled 147 Ukrainian troop and equipment sites within 24 hours.

Conflict map less optimistic for Ukraine as Russia accelerates offensive

The Russian Defense Ministry also announced the shooting down of 10 missiles fired by Ukraine from the US-made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) and 36 fixed-wing UAVs.

In total, the Russian side recorded that the enemy lost about 1,500 soldiers on all fronts during the day.

The accuracy of the Russian figures cannot be verified, and Ukraine has not commented on the information. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force said that on December 9, Russia launched two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles and 37 UAVs towards targets on Ukrainian territory.

Of the 37 UAVs, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down 18 UAVs, and 18 UAVs were "missing". Both Russian missiles were intercepted.

Also on December 9, Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted President Zelensky as saying that there were nearly 800,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Moscow has not commented on this information.

Mr. Zelensky received German opposition party leader Friedrich Merz in Kyiv on December 9.

Prospects for Ukraine peace talks

After meeting with Donald Trump in Paris on December 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would call his US counterpart Joe Biden to discuss the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO.

"I will call President Biden in the near future... and raise the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. He is now the president of the United States, and many issues depend on his role. There is no point in discussing this with Mr. Trump while he is not yet in the White House," Mr. Zelensky wrote on Telegram on December 9.

Zelensky says Ukraine is ready for diplomatic solution with Russia

On the same day, he also said that Ukraine "may consider" French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to deploy peacekeepers in the country. However, that prospect can only be realized after the Kyiv government has a clear timeline for Kyiv's accession to NATO.

The Ukrainian president mentioned the possibility after a meeting in Kyiv with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who is running to become German chancellor.

Mr. Merz is also a supporter of Berlin's provision of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

The risk of pressure from Mr. Trump

At a press conference in Kyiv, the Ukrainian President also mentioned the possibility of diplomatic settlement towards ending the war.

"Ukraine, more than anyone else, wants the conflict to end. A diplomatic solution can undoubtedly save more lives. We are looking for this possibility," Reuters quoted Mr. Zelensky.

Mr. Zelensky said that in the meeting with President Macron and Mr. Trump, they discussed the scenario of "freezing" the current front lines and moving towards peace talks. However, the most important thing now is for Ukraine to improve its capacity to gain an advantage when negotiating with Russia.

The Ukrainian leader's messages come as fighting in Ukraine escalates ahead of Trump's inauguration.

Ukrainian President meets Donald Trump in Paris on December 7

The US president-elect has repeatedly reiterated his desire to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as quickly as possible, raising concerns that he could force Kyiv to reach a deal on terms set by Russia, according to The Kyiv Independent . Mr Trump also told Mr Zelensky that the US could reduce military aid to Kyiv next year.

On the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin expressed hope that Mr. Trump's team will be familiar with Russia's stance on Ukraine, specifically the initiative put forward by President Putin in June in an effort to resolve the Ukrainian crisis in the long term, TASS reported.

Some of the contents of the initiative are that Ukrainian armed forces withdraw from the Donbass and Novorossiya regions, Kyiv not join NATO, the West lift all sanctions against Russia, and Ukraine must commit to non-aligned and non-nuclear status.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chien-su-ukraine-ngay-1020-ong-zelensky-can-nhac-chap-nhan-luc-luong-gin-giu-hoa-binh-185241209204747561.htm