Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that “only decisiveness” can bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to an end and bring lasting peace.

Days after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said working together to bring an end to the war is the top priority, and he expressed gratitude to Trump “for his strong resolve to bring this war to a fair end.”

The Ukrainian leader further said he told Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin “fears only him and perhaps China.”

“We know that America has the capacity to accomplish remarkable things—things that others have not been able to achieve,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “To succeed in ending this war, we need unity—the unity of America, Europe, and everyone in the world who values security—as well as strong positions and guarantees for peace.”

Zelenskyy’s comments come amid questions about the level of U.S. support for Ukraine as U.S. leadership transitions from President Joe Biden’s administration to a new Trump term next month.

The United States under Biden has led efforts to organize billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine, including ammunition and air defenses to defend against Russian attacks.

Trump said after the meeting Sunday that there should be an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Some information provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
…

Russian state media say Moscow has granted asylum to ousted Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, who reports say landed in Moscow after escaping from Damascus Sunday. The Kremlin was a key supporter of Assad in his government’s brutal attempts to defeat rebels, and that memory may make it difficult for Moscow to regain its foothold in Syria, which until a few days ago appeared unshakable. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina
…

The collapse of the Syrian regime and the influx of thousands of families into Kurdish areas, particularly in Derik, has led to an economic crisis in these regions. As a result, the value of the dollar has risen sharply, significantly impacting the livelihoods of both local residents and newly arrived immigrants.

View the full story here.
…

Turkish warplanes launched three airstrikes near the Qara Quzaq Bridge, a strategic bridge that connects the eastern Euphrates to the western Euphrates. The strikes, targeting Kurdish security forces, resulted in the deaths of one member of the Internal Security Forces and two traffic police officers.

These strikes, along with ongoing attacks by Turkish-backed Syrian armed groups on areas governed by the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, have heightened fears and unrest among civilians. Ridwan Bezar, a freelance stringer based in northern Syria, provides a detailed video report of these developments.

View the full story here.
…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday he is open to the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the country’s war with Russia.

“Ukraine wants this war to end more than anyone else. No doubt, a diplomatic resolution would save more lives. We do seek it,” the Ukrainian president said Monday at a joint press conference in Kyiv with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz.

Zelenskyy also said he is open to the possibility of foreign troops being deployed to Ukraine to help his country end its war with Russia, a conflict that has been ongoing for nearly three years.

“But before that, we must have a clear understanding of when Ukraine will be in the European Union and when Ukraine will be in NATO,” Zelenskyy said.

On his Telegram channel, the Ukrainian leader said the deployment of troops to Ukraine would be a step forward for the Eastern European country’s quest to join NATO.

Zelenskyy’s openness to a negotiated end to the conflict with Russia and the presence of Western troops in Ukraine coincides with Russia’s recent gains in Ukraine and the upcoming inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump met with Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said he plans to call U.S. President Joe Biden soon about Ukraine joining NATO.

“He is the current president, and a lot rides on his opinion. And there is no point in discussing with President Trump something that is not up to him today — while he is not yet in the White House,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump has said he wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end quickly and has called for a ceasefire and negotiations to end the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.

However, Zelenskyy told the New York Post that while Trump wants a ceasefire, the two leaders have not discussed any details about that arrangement.

Merz, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s challenger in the upcoming German election, said at the joint address with Zelenskyy that the “basic consensus” in Germany is that Germany will continue to supply Ukraine with military aid.

In his meetings with Zelenskyy, Merz did, however, note that Germany’s position on Ukraine differs from the stance that France, the U.S. and the U.K. have taken on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Our position is clear, as is that of my parliamentary group: We want to put your army in a position to reach military bases in Russia — not the civilian population, not the infrastructure — but the military targets from which your country is being fought,” he said.

“With this range restriction, we are forcing your country to fight with one hand behind its back,” he said.

Ukraine’s military said Monday it shot down 18 drones that Russian forces deployed in overnight attacks.

The Ukrainian air force said the intercepts took place over the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytsky, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions.

There were no reports of casualties or major damage.

Ukrainian air defenses also shot down two Russian guided missiles, the military said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday its air defenses destroyed 13 Ukrainian aerial drones.

Most of the drones were shot down near the Russia-Ukraine border in the Belgorod and Rostov regions. Two of the drones were destroyed over Astrakhan, located about 200 kilometers from the border.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
…

Turkey is one of the principal backers of some of the Syrian rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad and a likely winner as Ankara seeks to gain influence in the country. However, analysts warn much will depend on whether a stable government emerges after Assad’s departure. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
…

BERLIN — Germany and several other European countries said Monday they are suspending decisions on asylum claims by Syrian nationals because of the unclear situation in their homeland following the fall of Bashar Assad.

Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees said Monday that more than 47,000 applications are currently pending. It said it would reassess the situation and resume decisions once things in Syria have stabilized.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Sonja Kock noted that asylum decisions take account of the circumstances of each case, which involves assessing the situation in the applicant’s country. She said the migration authority has the option of prioritizing cases from other places if a situation is unclear, as it currently is in Syria.

More broadly, German officials said it’s too early to tell what the fall of Assad will ultimately mean for the many Syrians who sought refuge in Germany in recent years, particularly in the mid-2010s.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said it’s not yet possible to predict “concrete possibilities to return” and “it would be unserious to speculate about this in such a volatile situation.”

Her ministry said that, as of Oct. 31, there were 974,136 Syrian nationals in the country, the majority of whom had some kind of refugee or other protected status.

In neighboring Austria, Chancellor Karl Nehammer also tasked his interior minister with suspending decisions on current asylum applications by Syrians, the Austria Press Agency reported.

“It is important to first establish facts, to put asylum and family reunion procedures on hold,” Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said. “We need to wait until the dust settles, so we can see what is happening, what the next points are.”

Sweden’s Migration Agency said it will also pause decisions on Syrian asylum cases, arguing that it isn’t possible at present to assess applicants’ reasons for seeking protection. It didn’t specify how long the pause would last, but said a similar decision was made in connection with the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

In Finland, the director of the Department for International Protection at the Finnish Immigration Service, Antti Lehtinen, told public broadcaster YLE that decisions have been suspended there, and he can’t immediately estimate when they will resume.

In Norway, the Directorate of Immigration announced a similar decision, saying that it has put asylum applications from Syria on hold “until further notice.”

France says it was considering following Germany’s example.

“We are working on a suspension of ongoing asylum files from Syria,” the French Interior Ministry said. “We should reach a decision in the coming hours.”

The ministry said 450 applications from Syrian citizens are pending in France.
…

Ukraine’s military said Monday it shot down 18 drones that Russian forces deployed in overnight attacks.

The Ukrainian air force said the intercepts took place over the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytsky, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions.

There were no reports of casualties or major damage.

Ukrainian air defenses also shot down two Russian guided missiles, the military said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday its air defenses destroyed 13 Ukrainian aerial drones.

Most of the drones were shot down near the Russia-Ukraine border in the Belgorod and Rostov regions. Two of the drones were destroyed over Astrakhan, located about 200 kilometers from the border.
…

PARIS — Notre Dame Cathedral, its air thick with the smell of incense, hosted its first Mass on Sunday since the catastrophic fire of 2019, a moment that transcended religious significance to become a powerful symbol of Paris’ resilience.

Beneath the glow of traditional chandeliers and modern spotlights, which illuminated its intricately carved stonework, the cathedral emerged reborn, its grandeur restored after five years of reconstruction.

For Catholics, it marks the revival of the city’s spiritual heart, a place where faith has been nurtured for centuries. For the world, it signals the rebirth of one of global heritage’s most famous landmarks.

The event was both solemn and historic. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presided over the morning Mass, including the consecration of a new bronze altar.

The liturgy was attended by 2,500 people, including French President Emmanuel Macron — enjoying a brief respite from France’s political tumult and economic troubles — clergy, dignitaries and a few lucky members of the public who stood in long lines to enter. Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world took part, along with one priest from each of the 113 parishes in the Paris diocese, accompanied by worshippers from these communities.

Macron, in line with France’s strict division of state and church, did not take communion.

Notre Dame’s journey from ruin to resurrection was defined by extraordinary craftsmanship, nearly $1 billion in global donations and a collective, unyielding determination to rebuild.

After the Mass, faithful attendees, priests, nuns, and other guests lingered in the cathedral, their awe evident. Many took pictures and selfies in front of the altar, the baptistery, and vibrant rose windows, their joy mingling with reverence. Others knelt to pray at chapels dedicated to saints, savoring a spiritual intimacy many had not experienced since the fire.

Later Sunday, the cathedral opened its doors to members of the public who secured reservations last week for the first fully public Mass. The Associated Press learned that tickets for this service were claimed within 25 minutes, underscoring Notre Dame’s enduring appeal.

What’s more extraordinary is that this is taking place in a country with a strong emphasis on secularism and a low rate of church attendance.

The public watches from a distance

Public viewing areas along the Seine on Sunday morning drew hundreds of people who wished to witness the historic moment from afar, although their numbers were likely subdued by rainy and miserably cold weather conditions.

Retired engineer Claude Lancrenon, watching from a viewing area, expressed both awe and disappointment.

“There is so much security,” he said, gesturing toward the barriers. “Yesterday, that seemed appropriate. But today, I had hoped it would be more open so we could approach the cathedral. I still hope we’ll be able to get closer.”

Tight security — akin to that of the Paris Olympic Games — reflected the importance of the occasion, ensuring the safety of dignitaries and the public alike.

Nathalie Martino, a retired event organizer visiting Paris, recalled the anguish of watching the cathedral burn.

“I cried so much that day,” she said. “And now, here I am. I had to come. It was something I needed to do.”

A sacred space reborn

Sunday’s Masses follow Saturday evening’s ceremonies in which Ulrich symbolically reopened the cathedral’s massive wooden doors by striking them three times with a crosier crafted from charred beams salvaged from the fire. As the doors swung open, choirs filled the air with song and the cathedral’s great organ — silent since the fire — resounded with majestic melodies.

Inside, the restoration reveals a cathedral transformed with now-gleaming limestone walls cleaned of centuries of grime. The restored stained-glass windows project dazzling patterns of color across the nave.

“No one alive has seen the cathedral like this,” said the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, Notre Dame’s rector. “It is more than restored — it is reborn.”

The consecration of the new altar was a pivotal moment in Notre Dame’s return to full liturgical life.

The altar houses relics of five saints tied to Paris, including St. Catherine Labouré and St. Charles de Foucauld, continuing a centuries-old tradition of embedding sacred artifacts at the heart of worship spaces. The consecration, involving holy water, chrism oil, incense and prayer, transforms the altar into a sacred centerpiece of the cathedral.

That was the most moving moment of the day for Marie Capucine, 37, a consecrated virgin representing her Parisian parish of Saint Germain des Prés at the reopening.

She recalled the day the fire raged, and the ‘’communion in prayer all over the world” for the cathedral to be saved.

“That shows that the Church gathers, no matter whether people are believers or not, it says something to the world, something beautiful,” she concluded.

A moment of unity

The reopening of Notre Dame is also a moment of cultural and national unity. Macron, who vowed to restore the cathedral within five years after the fire, called the project “a jolt of hope” for France, a nation often divided by political crises.

Challenges overcome

The path to restoration was fraught with challenges. Lead contamination forced work to pause, and the COVID-19 pandemic added delays. Yet the project, overseen by architect Philippe Villeneuve, has been hailed as a triumph of human ingenuity and collective resolve. Cutting-edge fire prevention systems, including thermal cameras and a misting system, have been installed to safeguard the cathedral’s future.

Villeneuve described the effort as “restoring not just a building but the soul of a nation,” emphasizing the personal and national significance of the work.

A sacred future and an ‘octave’

With its spire once again piercing the Parisian sky, Notre Dame is poised to reclaim its role as a global beacon of faith and art. The cathedral, which previously welcomed 12 million annual visitors, is expected to draw 15 million in its new chapter.
…

TBILISI, Georgia — Tens of thousands of people joined an 11th straight day of protests in Georgia on Sunday after the governing party moved to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union, while a separate demonstration decried violence against Georgian journalists covering the rallies.

Police have been using increasing force in their attempts to curb the demonstrations, which have centered on the parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi. Riot police have used water cannons and tear gas every day to disperse the rallies, beating scores of protesters who threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on the Georgian capital’s central boulevard.

At Saturday night’s demonstration, reporter Maka Chikhladze and her colleague from the independent Pirveli TV channel were targeted by a violent mob, Chikhladze told The Associated Press.

Chikladze said her colleague managed to capture footage of men dressed in black who were beating demonstrators before they turned on the pair, violently pushing Chikhladze to the ground. She later told AP that her colleague sustained a head injury and had his camera stolen.

Chikhladze charged that Georgia’s government was using bands of thugs to deter people from attending anti-government rallies, an allegation denied by representatives of the Georgian Dream party.

On Sunday, several hundred media workers marched down Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue before putting up posters of colleagues they say had been assaulted while doing their jobs.

“Our colleagues are beaten, injured, some remain in hospital in serious condition,” TV Pirveli anchor Ekaterine Mishveladze told AP.

In a separate incident Saturday, AP journalists saw several masked men violently tackle a protester attempting to enter the offices of an opposition party, Ahali. The man, Koba Khabazi, lay slumped on the ground while his attackers repeatedly kicked him. He later showed AP his head injuries.

Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in the disputed Oct. 26 election, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Georgia’s EU aspirations. The opposition and the pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with neighboring Russia’s help and have boycotted parliament sessions.

Opposition protests gained new momentum after the Georgian Dream’s decision last Thursday to put the EU accession talks on hold.

Riot police have used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the rallies and beat scores of protesters, who threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on Rustaveli Avenue.

The crackdown has drawn strong condemnation from the United States and EU officials. Speaking Thursday at a ministerial conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced what he described as the brutal “repression of those calling for their country to stay on the path to closer ties with Europe.”

Mamuka Mdinanradze, leader of the Georgian Dream party, condemned mob violence against protesters during a news briefing Sunday, and denied any connection with the government.

The office of Georgia’s rights ombudsman issued a statement Sunday criticizing Georgian police for “failing to take adequate measures” to ensure safety during the demonstrations.

President Zourabichvili, who plays a largely ceremonial role, refused to recognize the official election results and contested them before the Constitutional Court, which rejected her appeal earlier this week.

The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that the country meets the bloc’s recommendations but put its accession on hold and cut financial support in June after the passage of a “foreign influence” law that was widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.

The law requires organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “pursuing the interest of a foreign power,” similar to a Russian law used to discredit organizations critical of the government.
…

IZIUM, Ukraine — Hopes for victory, a swift end to the war and prayers for their loved ones’ survival or return from Russian captivity are among the wishes scattered throughout letters sent to a volunteer group by Ukrainian children living in front-line areas.

While the volunteers, who are named reindeer after the magical beasts that pull Santa’s sleigh, cannot fulfill many of these dreams, they strive to deliver on the simpler ones, such as requests for power banks to help families endure outages, bicycles, books, and even pets.

Every winter, the volunteers travel to heavily damaged cities to deliver gifts and ensure that, despite the war, Ukrainian children can celebrate the holiday season just like their peers around the world.

This year, the group received 2,310 letters, according to project manager Inna Achkasova from the NGO Ukrainian Frontiers, who launched the St. Nicholas’ Reindeers initiative in 2015.

The children’s wishes are published on the project’s website. Donors affectionately known as magicians then choose a letter and buy the requested gift to make that child’s dreams come true. The reindeer then deliver those gifts.

“Children are those who have no choice whatsoever. No one asks them whether they want to stay or leave,” says project psychologist Kateryna Shutalova. “What happens to them is never their choice. And this makes them the most vulnerable.”

But every child gets only one childhood, even if it’s shaped by war. That’s why, in their letters, the horrors that have impacted their lives coexist with wishes similar to those of children everywhere.

“My father is in captivity, and I live with my mother and brother,” one boy wrote in his letter. He continued: “I love playing football and practice it professionally. I want a leather football.”

Volunteers sift through all the letters, enduring the tragic stories of each child, to sort and deliver the gifts correctly. Among the writers are children who have lost loved ones to shelling, endured Russian occupation, seen their homes destroyed, have parents serving on the front lines, or were forced to flee to escape the war. 

“What struck me wasn’t their wishes but how deeply children feel the need to tell their stories,” Shutalova says.

Wearing reindeer antlers, the volunteers set out on their journey on Dec. 6, when Ukraine celebrates St. Nicholas Day. Their journey is expected to last until mid-January.

On a frosty morning in Kharkiv, covered by the season’s first snow, a team of volunteers departs in two buses filled with gifts, headed for the formerly Russian-occupied city of Izium, around 55 kilometers (35 miles) from the front line.

At first, when the celebration has started, the children observe cautiously, their expressions somber, but that mood doesn’t last. With each activity, they became more cheerful and engaged.

One of them is 9-year-old Alina Soboleva, who remains detached despite the volunteers’ efforts. She watches the festivities unfold with a quiet gaze. Her grandmother, Svitlana Lokotosh, explains that Alina has been withdrawn since witnessing the deaths of her mother and other grandmother in a shelling in the courtyard of their home.

Alina had been watching through the window as her mother spoke on the phone. When the shell struck, a fragment hit her mother in the neck. Her grandmother rushed outside to help and was killed by another shell.

In her letter, Alina asked for two pet mice. She said it was her dream.

“Our only wish is for peace and quiet,” says Lokotosh, who took Alina in after her mother’s death. “So the children don’t have to be afraid.”

Shutalova explains that parents often find it hard to talk to their children about the war. They’re either afraid, lack the emotional resources, or are overwhelmed by their feelings.

“But for children to process what they’ve been through, they need to talk, play, and express those emotions,” she says.

At the celebration, parents stand against the walls, smiling as their children laugh and play despite having endured so much at such a young age.

Among them is Anna Bolharska, a 32-year-old mother of two. Her father-in-law was killed, and her brother-in-law was injured during the occupation. In the spring of 2022, she and her children fled Izium amid relentless shelling, only returning after Ukrainian forces liberated the city in September that year.

“I don’t like to remember those times. We try to move forward because dwelling on it is too hard mentally,” Bolharska says. “We try not to remind the children and to keep them distracted.”

Her 9-year-old daughter, Myroslava Bolharska, dreams of becoming a veterinarian. In her letter, she asked for a guitar.

“During the war it seems everyone’s dreams have changed — to wish for the war to end,” she wrote.

The reindeers’ winter journey will take them to over 40 towns in the coming weeks. They hope to realize many dreams and bring joy to the kids, even though some of their wishes are impossible to fulfill.

“Some children wrote in their letters that they want their childhood back,” project co-founder Inna Achkasova says, adding that the reindeer volunteers aim to ensure that every child feels seen, heard and loved.
…