The European Union came up with an 11th-hour compromise to help Ukraine, but the solution raised questions about the bloc’s decisiveness.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe will have to find the way to directly engage with the Russian leader as the US pushes ahead with peace talks.

European leaders are expected to cement support for Ukraine Monday as it faces Washington’s pressure to swiftly accept a U.S.-brokered peace deal.

Putin claims no "willingness from Ukraine" to negotiate a peace deal as he touts battlefield gains, and Kyiv claims a brazen strike on a ship far from Russia.

European leaders said they had agreed on Monday any decisions on potential Ukrainian territorial concessions to Russia could only be made once robust security guarantees were in place which should include a European-led multinational force.

Follow live updates from NBC News as Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual year-end news conference on Ukraine, peace, war and Trump.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declares Russia's Ukraine war goals will be achieved through negotiations or military force as diplomatic efforts.

Often left out by the United States in peace negotiations, European countries are working to assert their leadership and bolster Ukraine with an ambitious funding plan. But can they agree?