Zelensky's just been asked about when the next batch of US aid might come.

It's a contentious issue - there’s been a long-running dispute about Ukraine funding in the US, with some Republicans using the issue of military aid as a way to try and get compromises they want over border control.

Senate Republicans this month blocked an emergency spending bill put forward by the Democrats, which included $50bn (£39bn) in new Ukraine aid, despite a visit by Ukraine’s president to plead for more help.

Last night, US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser told reports there is one more aid package for Ukraine later in December.

John Kirby said after this money has been announced, it will be up to politicians in Congress to approve further funding for Kyiv.

He said the Senate and House of Representatives would need to “act without delay”.

We're now hearing from an Inter channel journalist, who asks about US support for Ukraine.

She asks how long Ukraine can wait for the next batch of aid from Washington, to which Zelensky says the support is "surely" needed now.

He says it'll give the EU a clear message that support isn't wavering - and he believes it'll come "very soon".

• You can read more about US aid being in doubt after a failed Senate vote here

Next Zelensky is asked a series of seemingly complex questions on domestic politics, one of which is about the possible creation of a government of national unity which would include technocrats - unelected leaders who are picked for their expertise.

The president seems visibly irritated by the questions and keeps shaking his head and frowning, saying they are too long and confusing.

“You’re talking too much,” he says, "I want you to ask a specific question."

He asks the journalist whether she can name any politician from any political party who could be prime minister, and adds that during wartime he doesn't have time for this kind of thing.

Image source, EPA

US outlet NPR is up next. The journalist asks a question about Hungarian PM Viktor Orban - whether he or any other leader has tried to persuade Ukraine to accept an armistice with Russia.

She asks specifically if any such armistice has ever included giving up occupied territories along "enemy lines" - and how Zelensky has responded.

Zelensky says he's never spoken to Orban about a ceasefire with Russia - "never", he repeats. "Maybe he's bringing up these views with friends of his," the Ukrainian leader says, adding he believes Hungary's policies are not always kind to Ukraine.

He says Ukraine and Hungary are neighbours, "even with all these challenges - and we are trying to find the solution" to difficult questions.

On Ukraine's bid to join the EU, Zelensky says he previously asked Orban to explain why his country wouldn't support the move. "He couldn't," Zelensky adds.

A local investigative journalist notes the different lives of those on the front line and top Ukrainian government officials and lawmakers, who they say drive luxury cars and host parties. He asks Zelensky what can he can do and who should be replaced to make sure that soldiers get everything they need?

Zelensky says he has only five to six "managers" in his team, adding that without them the Ukrainian president's office would be weaker.

He agrees with the comments about controversial lawmakers accused of corruption, saying some of them are “not the moral authority” for Ukrainians - and admits that some officials have bribed their way out of Ukraine to avoid mobilisation.

"We are fighting the best we can with all the corruption risks," Zelensky says.

Zelensky's being asked a question by another Ukrainian outlet now. The journalist says Western leaders, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, believe the war with Russia could go on for a long time.

Do you think the war will, or could, end in 2024? Zelensky is asked.

The Ukrainian president says he's thankful to the EU and its leaders for their assistance. "We've built special relationships with them," he says, before turning to the support Ukraine continues to receive from the likes of "Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia and the Netherlands".

This support, he adds, amounts to billions - which he says will be spent on both humanitarian and military needs.

On timings, he says "no one has the answer" for when the fighting in Ukraine will end. "Even our commanders and Western partners. This is a dialogue. Such thoughts always differ from reality," he says.

He lists a litany of things that can affect Ukraine's chances of winning the war - but says the most important is Ukraine's own determination. Zelensky tells the reporter:

A question now from the BBC's Jessica Parker - is there a danger of Ukraine starting to lose this war?

Zelensky's reply is a flat "no".

He says the country was in an extremely difficult situation last year, when much of it was occupied by Russian forces, and yet Ukrainians broke through the blockade.

He says that victory has had an exorbitant cost, and agrees that "we have challenges" - currently with shortages of things like artillery shells and anti-tank grenades.

"At first glance there are risks," he says, "but we are living creatures, we fight, we believe in our own steps, at least not to be ashamed afterwards."

Image source, Reuters

The next question is about possible reductions in Western support, with Zelensky starting his answer by saying Russia has failed in all its own military objectives this year

He says Moscow’s main goal is the full occupation of Ukraine, but it has failed even to fully seize the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Addressing Ukraine's well-documented weapons shortages, Zelensky acknowledges Ukraine does not "control the skies" with air power or have enough ammunition for artillery as it stands.

"We're working on this", he says.

Zelensky goes on to say both the EU and US are working on significant aid packages, both of which have been blocked in recent weeks, the president adds he is certain key allies will continue with their financial support.

The next question, from the Kyiv Independent, is about the construction of fortifications along the front line, and whether they will be similar to those Russia has built on its side.

Russia spent months building some of the most extensive fortifications in recent history around areas it had taken.

Zelensky says that regional administrations have been working on this since the beginning of the war. He mentions Kharkiv region, which has remained largely in Ukrainian hands, and says he thinks that what they've done is "powerful".

We're already on to questions from the press, which Zelensky says he'll do his best to answer.

He's asked first about mobilising more Ukrainians to fight against Russia.

“This issue is very sensitive,” Zelensky admits, saying military officers had proposed to mobilise 450,000-500,000 soldiers.

Zelensky adds that such a large mobilisation of manpower would cost about 500bn Ukrianian hryvna.

“Where do we get the funds?” he says, adding this is a question he’s asking the country’s finance minister.

He also praises the troops and says he's thankful for them and their commitment to defending their country.

Image source, Reuters

Zelensky continues his remarks by thanking Ukrainian soldiers who have been fighting invading Russian forces for nearly two years now.

He hails a “big victory on the Black Sea” over the Russian navy during the course of the year, saying it is no longer dominant there.

Zelensky says the Russian navy is no longer able to prevent Ukraine from trading in the Black Sea.

He adds that Russia has been forced to withdraw its warships from Russian-occupied Crimean which Moscow annexed in 2014.

Image source, Reuters

In his opening remarks, Zelensky makes a joke about a graphic of the EU flag that was on the huge screen behind him, before he took to the stage.

He says there are currently 27 stars on that flag - but "hopefully" there'll soon be 28.

"A historic victory for Ukraine is the opening of the EU membership talks," Zelensky says.

He's referencing a bid by Ukraine, and Moldova, to become EU members - something European leaders recently decided to open talks over.

Ukraine's president has taken the stage to give his end-of-year press conference, joined by a moderator.

We haven't been able to tell you exactly when and where Volodymyr Zelensky was due to speak for security reasons.

But now he's on stage we'll bring you what he has to say, or you can click play at the top of the page for a translated stream of what the president says.

Image source, Reuters

President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged parts of the Russian army are in need of a serious overhaul because of problems exposed by the war in Ukraine.

In remarks at a meeting of ministry officials broadcast live on Russian TV, he seemed to take a more sceptical line than his defence minister about the overall state of Russia’s military.

Putin said improvements should be made to communications systems, air defences and the use of intelligence, but he also insisted Russian manufacturers had reacted faster to the conflict than Western countries.

And he said the Russian military held the initiative in Ukraine, adding that "we do what we need to do, where we need to do it" - whether that meant active defence or “improving our positions”.

Putin also alluded to Monday’s signing of a military agreement between Finland and the US, saying that Washington had stepped up its activities near Russia’s borders "with significant forces”.

The move has added to already significant diplomatic tensions between Finland and Russia, which were in poor shape as a result of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Finns going on to join Nato.

Jessica Parker
News correspondent

There was a bun fight to get into the room where President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold his news conference.

National and international media are here - eager to ask questions of the man in charge.

The EU flag is being beamed up on a projector screen - interspersed with images of Ukraine’s blue and yellow colours. It may indicate something Zelensky hopes to emphasize - a recent decision to move Ukraine onto the next stage of EU membership talks.

It was a rare bit of good news recently in terms of major gestures of Western support.

Image source, Reuters

One of Ukraine’s most senior generals has said his forces are fighting at a disadvantage in terms of both weapons and the number of soldiers on the eastern front.

Writing on his Telegram channel this morning, commander of Ukrainian ground forces Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi described the situation on the front line as difficult.

But he said “our troops hold the defence and destroy the enemy“ on all three fronts of the war in eastern Ukraine - around Bakhmut and Lyman in Donetsk and further north in Kupyansk in Kharkiv.

According to Syrskyi, the Russian military continues to carry out offensive operations in these areas, despite their suffering their own losses.

He said he believes the Russian army is concentrating its main efforts in the Bakhmut direction, where they have deployed their most combat-ready forces.

Syrskyi added this consists of Russian airborne troops, marines, as well as Storm Z and Storm V units - which he said include fighters who are former Russian prisoners.

No easy task for Zelenskypublished at 15:25 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2023

15:25 GMT 19 December 2023

Halyna Korba
BBC Ukrainian

Image source, Reuters

Volodymyr Zelensky’s press conference will not be a simple task for the Ukrainian president - he is expected to face a lot of difficult questions.

Ukrainians expect him to explain what is going on between himself and Gen Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, who has become extremely popular during the war - but has been attacked by members of the president's team in recent months. (They suspected Zaluzhny of having political ambitions and criticised him for an article in which he talked about the stalemate at the front.)

Zelensky could even comment on recent speculation about Zaluzhny’s potential resignation.

The biggest challenge for the leader, though, is to encourage both Ukrainians and international partners after a difficult year. At the beginning of 2023, Kyiv optimistically promised a spectacular counter-offensive to liberate the biggest part of Ukrainian territories - occupied by Russia in 2022 - and even enter Crimea.

In fact, Ukraine's war results have been modest.

Next year promises to be even harder. Ukraine enters it with huge human and infrastructure losses, stalling over mobilisation and also with a dramatic budget deficit - all while the support of some allies is slowing and war fatigue around the world is growing. Russia, on the other hand, is sticking to its goals and continues to raise military funds.

Today Zelensky needs to show that he has a plan for next year and will not allow political jealousy, or confrontation, to disrupt Ukraine's efforts.

Jessica Parker
Reporting from Kyiv

As President Zelensky takes to the stage today, he isn’t just having to deal with political headwinds abroad amid flagging Western support.

He also has challenges at home. At the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion, competitive politics was essentially suspended as often happens in times of national crisis.

But as months of war have dragged on – and following a disappointing counter-offensive – there are signs of a more fractious atmosphere emerging.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko recently accused President Zelensky of becoming an "autocrat". The two men have never been close allies, but it was nevertheless a bold allegation.

There are also reported tensions between the president and his commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhny.

One senior official I spoke to dismissed the rumours, but there are suspicions that Zaluzhny – who appears to be popular with the public – harbours political ambitions of his own.

Robert Greenall
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

As winter sets in, Ukraine faces a difficult period in its conflict with Russia.

Against a backdrop of Washington so far failing to approve $60bn (£47bn) in aid and another €50bn (£43bn) from the EU stalled by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, Kyiv is already downsizing some military operations and switching to defensive mode in some areas.

Little has changed on the ground since the summer, when Ukraine began a counter-offensive aimed at regaining territory and cutting Russian supply lines to Crimea.

But apart from retaking a few villages, Kyiv made little progress and ran up against well-prepared Russian defensive lines.

Meanwhile, Russia has gone on the offensive, mainly in the east of the country around settlements such as Avdiivka and Kupyansk.

It’s also made little headway, and reports from the ground suggest Russian troops are taking heavy casualties.

Adam Durbin
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

Welcome to our live coverage as we are set to bring you an end of year news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - which we expect to begin in a short while.

It comes as Kyiv’s Western allies stall on the latest aid packages and troops at the front face a difficult winter, with Russian advances and a shortage of ammunition and equipment.

Zelensky is expected to face some tough questions - he is also under increasing political pressure at home, with some polls indicating declining trust among sections of the public.

The event comes as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has vowed to meet his goals in the Ukraine war, without saying what exactly they are.

Stay with us - we can't give you an exact time when things will get under way but we'll bring the best bits of the news conference to you on this page.