Russia stated that Ukraine's acquisition of Patriot missiles from the United States, announced during President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Washington, will not contribute to resolving the crisis or impede Moscow's ability to achieve its objectives.

Even though the Patriot air defense system is widely regarded as cutting-edge, President Vladimir Putin characterized it as "very outdated" and told reporters that Moscow would devise a countermeasure. Simultaneously, he stated that Russia desires an end to the fighting in Ukraine and will necessitate a diplomatic settlement.

Putin told reporters, "Our goal is not to spin the flywheel of armed combat, but rather to stop this war." "We shall endeavor to end this as quickly as possible."

The United States reacted skeptically to these remarks. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House, stated that Putin has "not indicated that he is eager to negotiate" an end to the war that began on February 24 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Everything he (Putin) is doing on the ground and in the air indicates he intends to continue inflicting bloodshed on the Ukrainian people and exacerbate the conflict," Kirby told reporters.

Russia has frequently stated that it is willing to negotiate. Still, Ukraine and its allies fear that this is a tactic to buy time following a series of Russian battlefield failures and withdrawals that have shifted the momentum of the 10-month conflict in Ukraine's favor.

Wednesday was Zelenskiy's first international trip since the Russian invasion, and he returned to Ukraine invigorated by the support he received from President Joe Biden in Washington.

"We are returning from Washington with positive results. With something very beneficial, "Zelenskiy stated, using the Telegram chat application.

'Not Conducive'

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, told reporters that the Patriot system's deployment in Ukraine was not helpful in a resolution. Using Russia's word for a war in which tens of thousands of people have been killed, Putin stated, "And this cannot prevent the Russian Federation from achieving its goals during the special military operation."

Wednesday, Zelenskiy told the U.S. Congress that American aid to his country was an investment in democracy, citing World War II fights against the Nazis to advocate for further funding to help Ukraine defend itself.

He stated that the Patriot system was an essential component of an air shield.

As Republicans prepare to assume control of the U.S. House of Representatives from Democrats on January 3, Zelenskiy pleaded for bipartisan support. Some Republicans have shown growing skepticism about delivering so much money to Ukraine.

Congress moved closer to authorizing an additional $44.9 billion in emergency military and economic assistance, as part of a more significant U.S. government funding measure, with a vote scheduled for Friday in the House of Representatives. This is in addition to the roughly $50 billion sent to Ukraine this year.

Wagner Group

The White House announced on Thursday that a private Russian military business, the Wagner Group, received infantry rockets and missiles from North Korea last month to assist in bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine, a hint of the group's rising engagement in this fight.

Britain stated that it had reached the same conclusion and condemned the action. However, the chairman of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, noted that no effort had been made for North Korea to supply Russia with weapons and dismissed the rumors as "gossip and speculation."

The Russian delegation to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a comment request. The foreign ministry of North Korea denounced the reports as unfounded.

Russian aircraft have repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity or running water in the thick of winter.

On Thursday, a day after the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, Zelenskiy commended electrical employees for working around the clock to keep the lights on as they celebrated Power Engineers' Day.

Fight for Bakhmut

Since August, Russian forces have been engaged in an expensive, drawn-out battle for Bakhmut, an industrial town in the Donetsk region with a pre-war population of approximately 70,000 and one of four that Moscow claimed to acquire after September referendums.

Thursday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces posted on Facebook that fighting in Donetsk remained concentrated around Bakhmut and Avdiivka, approximately 90 kilometers (54 miles) to the city's south.

Near Bakhmut, Russian soldiers shelled approximately ten settlements, while near Avdiivka, they fired on Kostyantynivka, Maryinka, Vodyane, and Nevelske, according to the Ukrainian military. Reuters was unable to confirm the reports from the battlefield independently.

Thursday, Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that the frontline in Ukraine was steady and that Moscow's forces were focusing on "completing the conquest of the area of the Donetsk People's Republic."

According to the state-owned news outlet RIA, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited army forces fighting in Ukraine, citing the ministry. It was unclear where.