Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his desire for Kyiv to participate in potential discussions aimed at concluding the war with Russia, especially under a future administration led by Donald Trump. He acknowledged that the specifics of any possible agreement under Trump remain ambiguous and may not even be fully understood by Trump himself, given Vladimir Putin's lack of interest in reaching a peaceful resolution.

On the other hand, President Putin has indicated a willingness to engage in talks with Trump, emphasizing the importance of dialogue on various topics, including the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian leader mentioned this during a conversation with a state TV journalist, expressing confidence in current presidential statements and asserting that Russia is always ready for negotiations.

These political negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of military hostilities, as Ukraine reported successfully intercepting a significant number of missiles and drones launched by Russia in a recent assault. Furthermore, Ukraine's military claimed responsibility for targeting Russian oil facilities and a microelectronics production plant that supports Russian military operations during the same period.

In a related development, South Korea's military has announced that North Korea is preparing to augment its troop presence in support of Russia's campaign in Ukraine, despite experiencing significant casualties among the existing forces of 11,000, with some soldiers reported captured.