Ukraine updates: Putin house attack claim threatens talks

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv is discussing the possibility of a US troop presence in Ukraine with Washington as part of security guarantees to be provided as part of a peace deal.

"Of course, we are discussing this with President Trump and with representatives of the (Western) coalition (supporting Kyiv). We want this. We ‌would like this. This ⁠would be a strong position of the security guarantees," he told journalists in a WhatsApp chat.

The White House did not comment on the issue of dispatching US troops to Ukraine under any peace settlement with Russia.

Earlier on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hinted at the possibility of US troops being sent to the line of contact between Ukraine and Russia. However, he provided no details about the proposal.

According to Reuters, Tusk said that peace in Ukraine could be achieved within weeks thanks to US security guarantees, though he added that success is still "far from 100% certain."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he will meet with leaders of allies in the Coalition of the Willing in France on January 6.

According to Zelenskyy's post on X, the summit will be preceded by a meeting of security advisors from allied countries on January 3 in Ukraine.

"I am grateful to President Trump's team for their readiness to participate in all effective formats," the Ukrainian president added.

Russia launched drones to attack port infrastructure and civilian ships in Ukraine's southwestern Odesa region, military and officials said.

According to the Ukrainian navy, two Panama-flagged civilian vessels, Emmakris III and Captain Karam, were attacked by Russian drones as they entered a Ukrainian Black Sea port to load wheat.

Russian troops also struck the Black Sea ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk, hitting oil storage tanks in the process, said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba.

Despite the attacks, both ports continued to operate, he added.

Over the past several months, maritime warfare between Ukraine and Russia has escalated. Both countries have attacked naval and commercial assets in the Black Sea and beyond.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the most recent developments in the negotiations on ending the war between Ukraine and Russia "give grounds for hope."

"Peace is on the horizon, there is no doubt that things have happened that give grounds for hope that this war can end, and, quite quickly," he said at a government meeting, adding this is still "hope, far from 100% certain."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, too, spoke about the current state in the negotiations, saying all sides of the negotiations need "transparency" - including Moscow.

Merz spoke after a conversation with European and Canadian leaders. 

"Now we need transparency and honesty from everyone, including Russia," Merz posted on his X account.

Ukraine ordered the evacuation of 14 villages in the Chernigiv region in the country's north, close to the border with Russian ally Belarus.

The region has been frequently targeted by Russian bombings.

"The border area is under daily shelling. Despite the real threat, 300 people still live there," regional leader Viacheslav Chaus said.

The Kremlin said it would not provide any evidence for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin's residence.

"I don't think there should be any evidence if such a massive drone attack is being carried out," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding Moscow would "toughen" its stance in the negotiations on ending the war due to the alleged attack.

Ukraine denies the attack, saying Russia failed to provide "plausible evidence" the attack took place.

Ukraine says Russia's accusations of a drone attack on President Vladimit Putin's residence included "no plausible evidence."

"Almost a ​day ​passed, and Russia still hasn’t provided any plausible evidence to its accusations of Ukraine’s ‍alleged 'attack on Putin’s residence'. And ​they won’t. Because there’s none. No such ⁠attack ​happened," Andrii Sybiha said ‌in ‌a post on X. 

Kyiv has dismissed Russia's allegation ​as baseless and designed ‌to ‌undermine peace negotiations.

Polish Prime MinisterDonald Tusk will hold a conversation with other European leaders over the situation in Ukraine, a Polish government spokesperson said.

This comes as Russia accused Ukraine of trying to carry out an attack on President Vladimir Putin, with Kyiv rejecting Moscow's accusations and said their intention is sabotaging the peace talks.

Russia's Oreshnik missile system, which has nuclear capabilites, has entered active service, the country's Defense Ministry said, without adding how many missiles had been deployed or any other information.

The system has been deployed in Belarus, where soldiers held a ceremony for the occasion. According to Russia's missile forces chief, Oreshnik missiles have a range that allows it to reach all of Europe.

This comes as the negotiations over ending the country's war in Ukraine continue, without a breakthrough so far, despite US President Donald Trump saying the two countries were "close than ever before" to ending the war.

DW's correspondent based in Washington, DC, Misha Komadovsky, posted to X a response to a question about whether US intelligence detected the alleged strike on Vladimir Putin's residence.

"Maybe the attack didn’t take place, that’s possible," said Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that Ukraine cannot win the war without US support.

"Can we win without American ‌support? No," Zelenskyy said.

"I don't trust Putin and he doesn't want success ‍for Ukraine," he added.

Earlier on Monday, the Ukrainian president said that two main issues in a 20-point peace ⁠proposal remained to be resolved: control of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which is ​in Russian hands, and the fate of the Donbas area.

Welcome to our coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine.

On Monday, Russia said it would review its stance in peace talks following what Moscow described as a Ukrainian drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences. 

Moscow has not put forward evidence to back up its claim.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphatically denied the claims, calling it "a complete fabrication" and accusing Russia of preparing the ground to strike government buildings in Kyiv.

US President Donald Trump said he was "very angry" about the news, saying, "I don't like it. It's not good."

Plus, underlining Russia's intention of standing firm on its territorial ambitions, Putin said his generals should push on with efforts to secure all of Zaporizhzhia region, of which Moscow already controls around 75%.