Category: World news

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. on Wednesday seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela, including the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker formerly known as the Bella-1 that had evaded a U.S. blockade back in December.

The Marinera was transiting in the North Atlantic, according to three sources familiar with the operation. The operation was being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard and other military assets, according to one source. Russian military vessels were in the area as the situation unfolded. 

In a post on X, U.S. European Command confirmed the seizure of the tanker in the North Atlantic.

The U.S. on Wednesday also seized another tanker in the Caribbean, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

“In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ships — one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean,” Noem said in a post on X. “Both vessels — the Motor Tanker Bella 1 and the Motor [Tanker] Sophia — were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it.”

The U.S. Coast Guard has been tracking the Marinera tanker for the last two weeks after attempting to seize it on Dec. 20 when the empty ship was in the Caribbean and apparently headed to Venezuela.

On Dec. 31, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping listed the ship — with the new name of Marinera — as a Russian vessel. The ship’s crew also painted a Russian flag on the ship’s side.

The Bella-1 previously flew a false Panamanian flag and is suspected to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which Moscow is accused of using to evade international sanctions. 

The ship recently activated its transponder, allowing open-source maritime tracking websites to locate the ship as being in the North Atlantic Ocean close to Iceland and the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom issued a statement saying it supported the U.S. seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker.

The Russian Ministry of Transport issued a statement Wednesday condemning the seizure of the oil tanker in the North Atlantic.

“U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel in international waters outside the territorial waters of any state, and contact with the vessel was lost,” the statement read. The ministry added, “No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.”

President Donald Trump in December announced what he called a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers in and out Venezuela.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday posted the “blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”

“The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people. Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce—as determined by the U.S.—will be permitted,” Hegseth posted to X.

The Trump administration intends to oversee the sale of Venezuala’s oil indefinitely and some sanctions against Venezuela will be lifted, two sources familiar with the plan told ABC News.

Wednesday’s oil tanker seizures comes just days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro is facing federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine, to which he’s pleaded not guilty.

Since the dramatic capture, questions have swirled about who is running Venezuela and how. Trump said earlier this week the U.S. was “in charge” of the South American nation. Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said the Venezuelan government is in control, “no one else,” during a press conference Tuesday.

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(LONDON) — U.S., European and Ukrainian representatives are gathering in Paris again on Wednesday for further talks regarding a potential peace deal to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.

Participants were positive on the outcome of the first day of talks, with Jared Kushner — U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a key member of the American delegation — describing Tuesday as a “real milestone,” though warning that a peace agreement is not imminent.

Notably, the U.K. and France signed a “Declaration of Intent” to send troops to Ukraine to safeguard any future deal, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday.

The two nations said they would establish “military hubs” across Ukraine and protective facilities to be used by Ukraine’s armed forces to support the country’s defensive needs, Starmer said. The British leader, though, said that “the hardest yards are still ahead” in terms of reaching a deal.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, meanwhile, said at a joint press conference that Berlin is “not fundamentally ruling anything out” regarding its future involvement.

“Germany will continue to engage politically, financially, and also militarily,” Scholz said. “This could include, for example, deploying forces for Ukraine on neighboring NATO territory after a ceasefire.”

Kyiv has long said it cannot accept any peace deal with Russia without binding security guarantees from its Western partners to protect against future aggression from Moscow. The largely-European “Coalition of the Willing” group of nations has been pushing for such guarantees.

For its part, Russia has repeatedly said it will not accept the deployment of any troops from NATO nations to Ukraine as part of a peace deal.

The Coalition of the Willing said in a joint statement on Tuesday that its proposed guarantees will include a “U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism” overseen by a “Special Commission” to address any “breaches, attribute responsibility and determine remedies.”

The Coalition also said it would continue “critical long-term military assistance and armament” to Ukraine alongside intelligence and military industrial cooperation and deploy a multinational force to “support the rebuilding of Ukraine’s armed forces and support deterrence.

The Coalition will offer “military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, adoption of additional sanctions” in the event of any future Russian aggression, it said.

The extent of any U.S. involvement remains unclear, Trump having already ruled out deploying American forces to Ukraine.

Presidential envoy Steve Witkoff said in a post to X that Tuesday’s talks made “significant progress” on several critical issues related to the proposed 20-point peace plan, including on security guarantees.

“We agree with the Coalition that durable security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a lasting peace in the Ukraine and we will continue to work together on this effort,” Witkoff said in a post on X.

Kushner, meanwhile, warned that there is still significant work to be done before any peace deal is finalized. “This does not mean we will make peace,” he said after Tuesday’s talks. “But peace would not be possible without the progress we made today.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in posts to social media that significant progress was made on the practicalities of future security guarantees.

“It’s determined which countries are ready to take leadership in elements of ensuring security on land, in the sky, at sea and in reconstruction. It’s determined what forces are needed. It’s determined how the forces will be managed and at what levels the command will be located,” he wrote.

“We had very substantive discussions with the American side on monitoring — to ensure there are no violations of peace. The United States is ready to work on this. One of the most critical elements is deterrence — the tools that will prevent any new Russian aggression,” he added.

“Thank you, America, for your willingness to provide backstop on all fronts: security guarantees, ceasefire monitoring and reconstruction,” Zelenskyy wrote.

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(PARIS, France) — France, the U.K. and Ukraine signed a “Declaration of Intent” on Tuesday to send their forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia.

British, French and partner forces would be on the ground, establishing “military hubs” across Ukraine, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine’s armed forces would use the protective facilities to retain Ukraine’s defensive needs, Starmer said.

Also present at the security summit on Tuesday in Paris were White House envoy Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Merz said in a statement after the meeting that Germany could deploy forces for Ukraine on neighboring NATO territory after a ceasefire was established, but added, “I want to say for myself and also for the Federal Government that we are not fundamentally ruling anything out.”

During a press conference following the talks, Kushner said the agreement was a “real milestone,” but warned that peace is some way off.

“This does not mean we will make peace,” he said. “But peace would not be possible without the progress we made today.”

The outcome of the talks suggests the U.S. and Europe are more aligned on security guarantees and how a ceasefire should be policed after any deal. But Russia has given no indication it would be prepared to accept a deal that includes such guarantees.

The pledge by France and the U.K. to deploy troops into Ukraine could further complicate negotiations. The Kremlin has repeatedly ruled out any presence of NATO countries’ forces in Ukraine after any deal.

The Kremlin has repeatedly ruled out any presence of NATO countries’ forces in Ukraine after any deal.

During the press conference, Starmer also hailed the progress on security guarantees but noted that “the hardest yards are still ahead.”

This is all about building the practical foundations on which peace would rest,” he said.

“But we can only get to a peace deal if Putin is ready to make compromises. And so, we have to be frank.  For all Russia’s words, Putin is not showing that he is ready for peace.” 

Zelenskyy released a statement on the agreement, saying, “We understand which country is ready for what among all members of the Coalition of the Willing.”

“I would like to thank every leader and every state that truly wishes to be part of a peaceful solution,” he added.

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(LONDON) — President Donald Trump implied on Sunday that Colombian President Gustavo Petro could face U.S. action soon, following the American attack on Venezuela that saw its president, Nicolas Maduro, captured and taken to face trial in the U.S.

Trump also appeared to threaten Cuba, the leftist government that has been a longtime ally of Maduro and his authoritarian regime in Venezuela.

“Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he’s not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you,” Trump told reporters Sunday.

Asked if the U.S. would launch a military operation against Colombia, Trump responded, “It sounds good to me.”

Earlier on Sunday, Petro released a statement on the operation against Venezuela and Trump’s previous comments about him, saying, “I deeply reject Trump speaking without knowing; my name does not appear in the judicial files on drug trafficking over 50 years, neither from before nor from the present.”

“Stop slandering me, Mr. Trump. That’s not how you threaten a Latin American president who emerged from the armed struggle and then from the people’s struggle for Peace in Colombia,” he added.

Following the removal of Maduro in Venezuela, reporters asked Trump if the U.S. had a similar plan to deal with Cuba, to which he said that the government in Havana only survived because of Venezuelan largesse.

“Now, they won’t have that money coming in. They won’t have the income coming in. You know, a lot of Cubans were killed yesterday, you know that a lot of Cubans were killed,” Trump said.

Trump said the Cubans killed on Saturday were trying to protect Maduro. According to Cuban officials, at least 32 Cuban nationals were killed in the U.S. operation.

“Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall. I don’t know how they — if they’re going to hold out, but Cuba now has no income,” Trump said. “They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They’re not getting any of it. And Cuba literally is ready to fall. And you have a lot of great Cuban Americans that are going to be very happy about this.”

Asked again if the U.S. is considering action in Cuba, the president said he did not think it necessary because “it looks like it’s going down.”

In Venezuela, meanwhile, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was appointed as interim president by the country’s Supreme Court, which described the U.S. capture of Maduro as a “kidnapping.”

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to make their initial appearances on Monday in a federal court in Manhattan.

On Saturday, Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return and vowed to defend Venezuela against American aggression. 

On Sunday, Rodriguez posted a statement to social media in which she invited “the U.S. government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence.”

In comments to The Atlantic, Trump threatened further action in Venezuela if Rodriguez failed to “do what’s right.” Asked what he wanted from Rodriguez, Trump called for “total access” to the country’s oil reserves.

“We’re in charge,” Trump told reporters of the situation in the country on Sunday. The president said that he had not spoken to Rodriguez. Asked if he planned to, the president said, “At the right time, I will.”

ABC News’ Meghan Mistry, Hannah Demissie and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Despite the Federal Aviation Administration reopening the Eastern Caribbean airspace following the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, some American tourists said they remain stranded across the region.

As airlines scrambled on Sunday to add flights and get people home from the Caribbean, tourists such as Nydia Han said they remain stuck.

Han, an anchor and reporter for ABC Philadelphia station WPVI, said she and her family were supposed to fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia on Sunday night. But now, she said she has been told by the airlines that she can’t get a flight home until Friday.

“Unfortunately, because of Maduro’s capture and airspace being closed, we are stuck here in Vieques,” Han said in a video she shared with ABC News.

The FAA issued a so-called notice to airmen (NOTAM) to airlines early Saturday that it was banning flights from entering the Eastern Caribbean airspace “due to safety-of-flight risk associated with ongoing military activity.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post later on Saturday that the Caribbean airspace ban would expire at midnight Eastern time on Sunday.

Major U.S. air carriers — including Southwest, JetBlue, United, Delta and American — canceled hundreds of flights during the airspace ban and some are scrambling to add additional flights to the region to accommodate affected customers.

Delta says they’ve added 2,600 seats through extra flights on Monday and the airline says it’s working to reaccommodate all customers by Tuesday.

Delta said delays could occur in the Caribbean on Monday because of the increased airline capacity and recommended that customers with confirmed and rebooked tickets on Monday arrive three hours early to allow for crowded airports.

Customers without confirmed tickets should not go to the airport until they’ve been rebooked. 

American Airlines has added a total of 7,000 more seats with 43 extra flights. On Monday, for the first time in over a decade, American will operate interisland flights in the Eastern Caribbean with two flights connecting Anguilla Wallblake, Anguilla (AXA) and Beef Island, BVI (EIS) to San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Flights throughout the Caribbean — including other popular destinations such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Martin and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands — were also canceled during the airspace ban, but some airports are getting back to normal.

Flights were arriving and departing from the Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba, according to FlightRadar24.

About 29 flights into and out of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico were canceled on Sunday, a far cry from the 400 inbound and outbound flights canceled on Saturday.

Billy Gunther of Florida said he and his wife are newlyweds and were wrapping up their stay at an Airbnb in Puerto Rico on Saturday when they got a notification that their flight was canceled.

Gunther told ABC affiliate station WZVN in Naples, Florida, that it could be another three days before he and his wife get a flight back home. Gunther said he has spoken to other tourists coping with flight cancellations.

“So, you have a lot of people who are anxious, that they don’t know when they’re going to come home,” Gunther said.

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(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela” and said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the Country.”

The announcement on Trump’s social media platform came shortly before 4:30 a.m. Saturday a few hours after several explosions were heard in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas, witnesses said, and photos and videos showed plumes of smoke and a large fireball in the night sky.

Trump said the operation was carried out in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement and said he would hold a news conference at 11 a.m. from Mar-a-Lago.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts” on a slew of charges in New York, including “narco-terrorism conspiracy” and “cocaine importation conspiracy” as well as weapons charges. Maduro has faced the charges in New York for years.

Sources familiar with the matter told ABC News Maduro was being flown to New York. While the sources did not specify where Maduro will be held, defendants awaiting trial in federal court in Manhattan are customarily held at MDC-Brooklyn.

The operation that led to Maduro’s capture was carried out by the Army’s Delta Force after the CIA had identified the leader’s precise location, according to two people familiar with the operation. Delta Force is an elite special operations group of soldiers trained in secret counterterrorism operations and hostage rescues.

One person told ABC News that Trump had given the green light to capture Maduro several days ago and troops were ready to strike on Christmas Day, but were delayed due to military airstrikes in Nigeria against ISIS. Subsequent opportunities were postponed partly due to weather, the person said.

CBS first reported the details on the operation.

In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, President Trump celebrated what he called the success of the mission to capture Maduro, who the U.S. has considered the head of a foreign terrorist organization since a November designation.

“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” Trump told The New York Times. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”

When asked whether he had sought congressional authorization for the operation or what would come next for Venezuela, Trump said he would address those matters during his news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday morning.

‘No further action’ anticipated

Republican Sen. Mike Lee, of Utah, said in a post on X that he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the phone about the actions being taken in Venezuela after initially asking “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”

According to Lee, Rubio said that Maduro had been “arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States,” and that the “kinetic action” was taken to protect those executing the warrant.

He also said that Rubio told him he anticipates “no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.”

“This was an incredibly dangerous operation to conduct,” said ABC Contributor Mick Mulroy, a former CIA officer and senior Pentagon official. “It required precise intelligence, detailed planning and flawless execution by these Delta operators and all the support, especially the [Joint Special Operations Command] air component, to pull it off in the manner that they did.”

Senate and House Republicans praised Trump’s actions, with Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida saying “a new day is here for Venezuela and Latin America” in a post on X and Sen. Tom Cotton, of Arkansas saying Maduro “wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation.”

But the action was criticized by Democrats.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, of Arizona, blasted Trump’s move, calling it the “second unjustified war in my life time” in a post on X. “This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year. There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

The latest events come amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela including a build-up of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean and the targeting of alleged drug-smuggling boats.

Some 15,000 U.S. military personnel were in the area as well as the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier.

The operation also comes a short time after the first-known land strike carried out against a dock where Trump said drugs were being loaded onto boats.

International reaction

The Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning what it called “the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America” in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

In addition, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the implementation of national defense plans, and declared a “state of External Disturbance throughout the national territory,” according to the statement.

Russia condemned the action as “an act of armed aggression against Venezuela” and said it wanted to prevent “further escalation,” according to the country’s Foreign Ministry. And Colombian President Gustavo Petro said “Alert the world: Venezuela has been attacked!” in a post on X. But Trump ally and Argentinian president Javier Milei praised the move.

The U.S. has long considered Maduro the head of a corrupt dictatorial regime. In 2024, Maduro declared victory after a widely disputed presidential election for a third term.

US recently declares Maduro head of terror organization

In an unprecedented move in November, the Trump administration declared Maduro the head of a foreign terrorist organization, citing alleged links to drug cartels, which Maduro denied.

The designation put the Venezuelan leader on the same list as terror networks like al-Qaeda and the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. In August, Rubio announced the U.S. had increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest from $25 million to $50 million.

Maduro has faced charges in the United States of narcotics-terrorism since 2020, when federal prosecutors in New York accused him of partnering with a Colombian rebel group to “flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing” of the nation.

The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons possession conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that Maduro and 14 current or former officials ran a vast criminal enterprise for the last 20 years, using state resources to fuel the international drug trade, including in the U.S.

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(CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland) — Investigators probing the deadly New Year’s Day fire at a Swiss resort bar are looking into the possibility that it started from sparklers that were too close to the ceiling.

Beatrice Pilloud, Valais Attorney General, told reporters Friday that investigators were still conducting interviews and going through evidence from the wreckage at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana but she said that they are “pursuing several hypotheses,” based on the evidence they’ve gathered so far.

“We currently assume that the fire was caused by sparklers attached to champagne bottles that came too close to the ceiling,” she said at a news conference.

“Initial evidence has been secured at the scene,” Pilloud added.

Forty people were killed and 119 people were injured in the blaze, according to authorities who said the fire spread very rapidly.

Investigators are working to identify the deceased victims.

“No mistakes can be permitted. We need to give the correct remains back to the families,” Pierre-Antoine Lengen, the head of the Swiss Judicial Police, told reporters.

Of the injured, 71 were Swiss citizens, 14 were French, 11 were Italian, and others were from Bosnia, Serbia, Portugal and Belgium, according to officials.

The nationalities of the 14 other injured victims were not immediately determined.

Pilloud said that more interviews will be conducted and noted that investigators spoke with the two French managers of the bar.

“For now, there is no penal liability which has been identified,” she said when a reporter asked about any liability.

Investigators are also looking into the building’s safety measures and building regulations, according to Pilloud.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(LONDON) Around 40 people were killed and 115 others were injured early on New Year’s Day, when a fire ripped through a popular bar in a resort town in the Swiss Alps, police said.

The Swiss president said the fire caused one of the worst tragedies that the country has ever experienced.

A blaze of “undetermined origin” broke out at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana at about 1:30 a.m. local time, the Cantonal Police of Valais said in a statement.

Investigators were working on Thursday to determine the cause of the fire, officials said during a morning press conference. The incident was not being investigated as an attack, they added.

“A large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue personnel immediately responded to the scene to assist the numerous victims,” police said in their statement.

A no-fly zone was put in place over Crans-Montana, police said in their statement. The resort town is popular with skiers and sits in Switzerland’s southern Sierre District in the Canton of Valais.

Police have not released the identities of those who were killed in the blaze. Officials on Thursday said it was likely, given the popularity of the area with travelers, that some of the deceased were tourists who traveled to the Alpine town to ski and to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

The French Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement that at least two French nationals were among the injured. Both were being treated in local hospitals, the ministry said. French officials were “in constant contact with the Swiss authorities in case other nationals are affected,” the ministry added.

ABC News’ Tom Soufi-Burridge contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — Countries across the globe are beginning to usher in 2026.

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first to ring in the new year, while Alaska and Hawaii will be among the last places to say goodbye to 2025.

New Zealand

At 6 a.m. ET, New Zealand was one of the first countries to reach 2026, ringing in the new year with a fireworks display.

Australia

In Australia, fireworks over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge went along as planned, but law enforcement presence was ramped up in Sydney in the wake of this month’s mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.

Earlier in the night, people gathered at the bridge to honor the Bondi Beach victims.  

Japan

In Tokyo, Japan, revelers rang in 2026 at 10 a.m. ET.

South Korea

In Seoul, South Korea, fireworks were lit over the massive Lotte World Tower.

China

In Beijing, China, people gathered at one of the most famous sections of the Great Wall.

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(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump should visit Ukraine, amid the latest U.S.-led push for a peace deal to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

“He talks about advocating a plan to end the war,” Zelenskyy said of Trump, answering questions in a group WhatsApp chat with reporters.

“I told him that we would be glad to see him. It is very useful for Ukraine. If U.S. President Trump flies to Ukraine, and it is desirable that he flies by plane not to Poland, but to Ukraine, then this will indicate that we definitely have the opportunity to count on a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said.

Earlier this week, Trump told reporters that the negotiating teams are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to achieving a peace deal to end Moscow’s invasion, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

Zelenskyy traveled to Florida to meet with Trump on Sunday and discuss a 20-point plan that he described as a possible foundation for the end of the war. Trump also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone before and after meeting Zelenskyy, the White House said.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is discussing the possibility of an American troop presence as part of a settlement, and as part of the post-war security guarantees Kyiv says it needs to prevent a repeat Russian attack.

“These are U.S. troops and that is why it is America that makes such decisions,” Zelenskyy said. “Of course, we are discussing this with President Trump and with representatives of the ‘Coalition of the Willing.'”

“We would like this. This would be a strong position in security guarantees,” Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy also denied Russian reports of a rift between the U.S. and Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow accused Kyiv — without providing any supporting evidence — of launching a drone attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region. 

After speaking with Putin by phone about the alleged attack, Trump said he was “very angry,” though also acknowledged that it may not have happened.

“Despite all the media accusations of the Russians about the breakdown of our talks with the Americans, we are working every day,” Zelenskyy told reporters.

The Ukrainian president said there had been “several calls” on Tuesday between Rustem Umerov — the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council and a key negotiator — and American representatives, among them presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. “We are discussing our next steps,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also posted to social media on Tuesday previewing a gathering of national security advisers of the mostly European “Coalition of the Willing” nations in Ukraine on Jan. 3, which is expected to be followed by a meeting of national leaders in France on Jan. 6.

Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, made in February 2023 a surprise trip to Kyiv, where he met with Zelenskyy prior to the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Biden flew into Poland and undertook a 10-hour train journey to get to the Ukrainian capital, senior administration officials said at the time.

Both Russia and Ukraine continued their exchange of long-range drone strikes overnight.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 127 drones into the country overnight into Wednesday morning, of which 101 were shot down or suppressed. Twenty drones impacted across 11 locations, the air force said.

The southern port city of Odesa was among the targets of the latest overnight barrage, officials said.

Odesa Gov. Oleh Kiper said in a post to Telegram that at least six people were injured by Russian drone strikes, among them three children. One adult was hospitalized and is in a critical condition, Kiper said.

“In total, four multi-apartment residential buildings, at least 14 cars and private garages were damaged,” Kiper said.

“These attacks are another indication of the terrorist tactics of the enemy, who deliberately attacks the civilian infrastructure of peaceful cities in the Odesa region, threatening the lives and health of people,” the governor added.

Kiper also reported at least two fresh strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the Odesa region. “Overall, during December, 10 substations in Odessa and the region were damaged as a result of enemy shelling,” he wrote. “Since the beginning of the year, Russia has attacked 25 energy facilities in the region.”

“The damage is significant and the repair work will take time,” Kiper said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down 86 Ukrainian drones overnight into Wednesday morning, of which 56 were reportedly downed over the Black Sea.

Rosaviatsiya — Russia’s federal air transport agency — reported temporary flight restrictions at airports in the southern Russian cities of Gelenjik and Krasnodar, as well as in Ivanovo and Yaroslavl which both sit northeast of Moscow.

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