Day 1,391.

Today, we assess what some are calling a “breakthrough” in talks between Europe, Ukraine, and the United States, after reports that Washington is offering Kyiv security guarantees equivalent to NATO’s Article 5. But is the proposal all it appears to be – and would Vladimir Putin ever accept it? We then report a first in military history: the sinking of a submarine in port by a drone, before examining internal pressures within Russian society, and reflecting on what Moscow has done to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, reopening its destroyed theatre with a performance many see as shockingly insensitive.

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Roland Oliphant (Chief Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.

James Kilner (Russian Analyst). @jkjourno on X.

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

US tells Ukraine: Take our ‘platinum’ security guarantees or lose them (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/15/germany-witkoff-and-kushner-far-from-ideal-negotiators/

Ukraine ‘blows up £300m Russian submarine’ with underwater drones (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/15/ukraine-blows-up-300m-russian-submarine-underwater-drones/

The bedroom farce at the centre of a Russian war-crime propaganda plot (Roland Oliphant on Maruipol in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/11/mariupol-theatre-putin-ukraine-plans/

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US offers Ukraine ‘platinum’ NATO-style security guarantees in ‘breakthrough’ & Kyiv blows up $400m Russian submarine with underwater drones

Ukraine: The Latest

US offers Ukraine ‘platinum’ NATO-style security guarantees in ‘breakthrough’ & Kyiv blows up $400m Russian submarine with underwater drones