L to R: European Union Minister for Enlargement Marta Kos, EU Council President António Costa, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas, Kyiv, December 1, 2024

Sunday’s Coverage: Russia Kills 11 Civilians, Injures 51+

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1405 GMT:

Ukraine’s military says Russia has fired at least 60 North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles during its invasion.

Pyongyang as reportedly sent more than 5 million artillery shells and 100 short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.

“Their accuracy, in principle, is not very high. We understand that the technology with which they were manufactured is outdated,” said Andrii Cherniak, a military intelligence spokesperson.

UPDATE 1357 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to Germany as Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Kyiv.

Germany stands as a European leader in supporting Ukraine, helping us defend ourselves against Russian aggression and terror….

Together, we are doing everything to restore a just peace for Ukraine — and therefore security for all of Europe—as soon as possible.

Alongside Scholz at a press briefing, Zelensky said:

We can only ensure peace through strength, the strength of our weapons, our diplomacy, and our cooperation.

It is fundamental for us that Germany as a leader does not reduce [support] next year, including financial support.

A German Defense Ministry spokesperson announced imminent delivery of IRIS-T air defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks, and armed drones.

Berlin approved the aid package in October.

“Winter is just around the corner, so there will also be winter equipment, as well as hand-held weapons and warming devices,” the spokesperson said.

UPDATE 1233 GMT:

As German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Kyiv, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned her Chinese counterpart that Beijing’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will impact diplomatic relations.

She urged Beijing to use its influence for an end of the invasion: “That is why I am here in China today”. She said every permanent member of the UN Security Council had a “responsibility for peace and security in the world”.

The Russian President is not only destroying our European peace order through his war against Ukraine, but is now dragging Asia into it via North Korea.

My Chinese counterpart and I have therefore discussed in depth that this cannot be in China’s interest either.

UPDATE 1213 GMT:

At least four civilians have been killed and 23 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 52 of 110 attack drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 50 were lost to electric counter-measures, and six flew to Belarus and Russia.

At least one civilian was killed and several wounded by a strike on a residential building in Ternopil in western Ukraine.

A fire spread across several flats on the top floor of the five-story building. About 20 cars were reported to have been damaged in the yard.

Three people were killed and 13 injured in the Kherson region in the south. The fatalities and 11 of the wounded were from a strike on a minibus in Kherson city.

Other casualties were in the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.

UPDATE 1138 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken further about negotiations to end Russia’s 33-month invasion.

Speaking to Japan’s Kyodo News, he repeated that the Russian occupation of parts of Ukraine would have to be ended through diplomatic means.

Referring to Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, he said, “Our army lacks the strength to [liberate it]. That is true. We do have to find diplomatic solutions.”

He emphasized that the talks could be considered “only when we know that we are strong enough” to prevent Russia from launching another invasion.

UPDATE 1130 GMT:

Following Sunday’s visit of European Union leaders to Kyiv, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is making his first journey in 2 1/2 years.

He declared, “Ukraine can rely on Germany – we say what we do and we do what we say.”

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has said there must be security guarantees from NATO and more weapons for Kyiv before any negotiations over Russia’s 33-month invasion.

Meeting European Union leaders on Sunday, Zelensky said, “An invitation for Ukraine to join NATO is a necessary thing for our survival.” He added that a “good number” of long-distance weapons are required for Ukraine’s defense.

“Only when we have all these items and we are strong, after that, we have to make the very important…agenda of meeting with one or another of the killers,” Zelensky explained.

On Friday, the President indicated he could accept a ceasefire if free areas of Ukraine were “under the NATO umbrella”, even while Russia occupies more than a quarter of the country.

However, he rejected any formal concession of territory, emphasizing that a NATO invitation must acknowledge Ukraine’s internationally-recognized borders: “Ukraine can work to reclaim [Russian-occupied territory] through diplomatic means.”

See also Ukraine War, Day 1,011: Zelensky — Ceasefire in Return for NATO Protection

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky also spoke of discussions about strengthening air defense, “implementing all existing agreements on defense support”, and advancing Ukraine’s application for EU membership.

Kaja Kallas, the EU head of foreign policy, said as she arrived in Kyiv on her first day in office:

My message is clear: the European Union wants Ukraine to win this war. We will do whatever it takes for that.

Ukraine will prevail. Freedom will prevail.

She declared, “The strongest security guarantee is Nato membership….We need to definitely discuss this.” The EU “shouldn’t really rule out anything”, such as the deployment of troops to enforce a ceasefire: “We should have this strategic ambiguity around this.”

The European Council President, António Costa, added, “We came to give a clear message that we stand with Ukraine, and we continue to give our full support.”