Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday called for the creation of a European army, as he insisted Kyiv and its backers on the continent must be listened to in peace talks with Russia.

Donald Trump’s defence chief yesterday denied that the US president was betraying Ukraine by opening talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, as blindsided European powers insisted they and Kyiv must have a seat at the table.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone yesterday and agreed to immediately start talks to end the Ukraine war, in an extraordinary thaw in relations that could leave Kyiv out in the cold.

US President Donald Trump said Friday he would “probably” meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky next week, as Russia said its forces had seized the key mining town of Toretsk in east Ukraine.

Ukrainian air defences downed 50 of 72 drones launched by Russia overnight and attacked one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, Ukraine’s military said yesterday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday said allies should work towards determining a format for any upcoming peace talks with Russia and that Kyiv must be involved for successful negotiations.

Kyiv said yesterday it had received the bodies of hundreds of Ukrainian troops killed in battle with Russian forces, in one of the largest repatriations since Russia invaded.

The Kremlin said yesterday it saw nothing new in US President Donald Trump’s calls for Russia to end its military offensive in Ukraine, and that Moscow was ready for “mutually respectful” dialogue with him.

Russia said yesterday it had taken control of a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, a westward push that is piling additional pressure on Ukrainian forces across the sprawling front line.

Ukrainian air defences shot down 43 out of 61 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack yesterday that targeted nine regions across Ukraine, the air force said.

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital killed three people yesterday, Ukrainian leaders said, branding it a “heinous” attack, while Moscow called it “retaliation” for bombardments on its territory.

Ukraine’s air force said yesterday Russia attacked it with 72 drones overnight though it downed 33 of them while 34 others disappeared from radar without reaching their targets.

Russia’s gas transit to Europe via Ukraine stopped yesterday, Moscow and Kyiv said, ending a decades-long arrangement and marking the latest casualty of the war between the neighbours.

Russia and Ukraine swapped more than 300 prisoners of war yesterday in an exchange brokered by the United Arab Emirates ahead of New Year’s Eve, officials from both countries said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that “several” wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with “minimal protection”.

Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy system and some cities with cruise and ballistic missiles plus drones yesterday in an “inhuman” Christmas Day assault, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Russian missiles targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv at sunrise yesterday, killing at least one person and cutting heating to hundreds of residential buildings in cold temperatures.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with Donald Trump on ending the war and that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield.

A top Russian general accused by Ukraine of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops was assassinated in Moscow by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service yesterday morning in the most high-profile killing of its kind.

Ukraine said yesterday that North Korean units fighting for Russia sustained losses of at least 30 soldiers killed or wounded around several villages on the front in Russia’s Kursk region over the weekend.