Donetsk (Ukraine)

• Another New Year at War: Ukraine’s Troops Doubt It Will Be the Last - After a year of Russian advances, the goal for 2026 is simply to survive, said one officer in eastern Ukraine. “It’s hard to make any plans,” he said.
• For Zelensky, Just Keeping Trump Talking About Ukraine Peace Deal Counts as a Win - Though discussions produced little tangible progress, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at least avoided the type of setbacks that have blighted earlier meetings.
• ‘Carol of the Bells’ Once Filled the Air Here. Now It’s Only Bombs. - Mykola Leontovych, the Ukrainian composer of the famed festive song, lived in the eastern city of Pokrovsk. Months of Russian assaults have erased most tributes to his life there.
• Zelensky Opens Way to Demilitarized Zone in Eastern Ukraine to Reach Peace - The offer was the closest Mr. Zelensky has come to addressing the thorny territorial disputes in Donetsk that have repeatedly derailed peace talks.
• Battlefield Picture Worsening for Ukraine as Trump Pushes Peace Plan - Russian forces have advanced on several fronts recently. President Vladimir V. Putin signaled after talks with U.S. officials that he was not budging from demands.