General Oleksandr Syrskyi said a "just peace" can only be achieved if fighting is halted along current frontlines and then for negotiations to take place.
Signalling a complete lack of trust in claims by the Kremlin that it wants to end its war, he accused Vladimir Putin of using an attempt by Donald Trump to broker peace talks as "cover" while Russian troops try to capture more land by force on the battlefield.
The rare intervention offers the clearest indication yet of the Ukrainian military's red lines as Washington tries to negotiate a settlement that - according to an initial draft - would require Kyiv to surrender the whole of the Donbas region in the east of the country to Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, backed by the UK and other European allies, has been trying on the diplomatic front to strengthen Ukraine's position.
But President Putin has said Russia would either seize the Donbas militarily or Ukrainian troops would have to withdraw.
Europe's fate at stake
Speaking frankly, General Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, signalled that his country's soldiers would fight on if diplomacy fails - and he warned that the fate of the whole of Europe is at stake.
"Our main mission is to defend our land, our country, and our population," he said in an exclusive interview in the basement of a building in eastern Ukraine. Sky News has been asked not to disclose the location for security reasons.
"Naturally, for us it is unacceptable to simply give up territory. What does it even mean - to hand over our land? This is precisely why we are fighting; so we do not give up our territory."
Many troops have died fighting for Ukraine since Russia first seized the peninsula of Crimea and attacked the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which comprise the Donbas, in 2014.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians were then mobilised to fight alongside professional soldiers following Putin's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia well short of original goal
Nearly four years on, Russia occupies almost a fifth of Ukraine, including large parts of the Donbas, but well short of an original goal of imposing a pro-Kremlin government in Kyiv.
Asked whether the sacrifice of those people who gave their lives defending their country would be in vain if Ukraine is forced to hand over the land it still controls in the Donbas to Moscow, General Syrskyi, speaking in Ukrainian through a translator, said: "You know, I do not even allow myself to consider such a scenario.
"All wars eventually end, and of course we hope ours will end as well. And when it does, a just peace must be established.
"In my understanding, a just peace is peace without preconditions, without giving up territory. It means stopping along the current line of contact."
The commander then broke into English to say that this means: "Stop. A ceasefire. And after that negotiations, without any conditions."
Switching back into Ukrainian, he said: "Any other format would be an unjust peace, and for us it is unacceptable."
Ukraine's contingency plans
While Ukraine's will and ability to fight are key in confronting Russia's much larger army, so too is the supply of weapons, ammunition and other assistance from Kyiv's allies, most significantly the US.
But, with the White House under Donald Trump, becoming less predictable, the Ukrainian military appears to be considering contingency plans in case US aid stops.
Asked whether Ukraine would be able to continue fighting if President Trump did halt support, General Syrskyi said: "We are very grateful to our American partners and all our allies who have been supporting us throughout this war with weapons and equipment.
"We hope they will continue providing full support. But we also hope that our European partners and allies, if necessary, will be ready to provide everything required for our just war against the aggressor.
"Because right now we are defending not only ourselves, but all of Europe. And it is crucial for all Europeans that we continue doing so, because if we are not here, others will be forced to fight in Europe."
General's assessment of fighting on ground
A decorated commander, with the call sign "snow leopard", General Syrskyi has been conducting combat operations against Russia's invasion for more than a decade.
He was made military chief in February 2024 after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacked the previous top commander. General Valerii Zaluzhnyi is now Kyiv's ambassador to London.
General Syrskyi offered his assessment of the fight on the ground, saying:
• Ukrainian troops still control the northern part of the fortress city of Pokrovsk in the Donbas and will keep battling to retake the rest of it, contrary to Russian claims to have captured what has been a key target for Moscow for the past 16 months.
• Russia is firing between 4,000 to 5,000 one-way attack drones at Ukrainian positions along the frontline every day as well as 1,500 to 2,000 drones that drop bombs. But Ukraine is firing the same volume - and even more - back. "In terms of drones, there is roughly parity. At the moment, we are deploying slightly more FPV [first person view] drones than the Russians."
• Russia's armed forces still have double the volume of artillery rounds of Ukraine's, but the range and lethality of drone warfare mean it is harder to use artillery effectively. Now, 60% of strikes are carried out by drones.
• More than 710,000 Russian soldiers are deployed along a frontline that stretches some 780 miles (1,255km), with the Russian side losing around 1,000 to 1,100 soldiers a day, killed or wounded "and a majority are killed".
"At this stage the Russian army is attempting to advance along virtually the entire frontline," General Syrskyi said.
Where are the harshest battles?
The fiercest battles are around Pokrovsk, as well as the northeastern city of Kupiansk, in Kharkiv region, the Lyman area, also in the Donbas, and near a small city called Huliaipole, in the Zaporizhzhia region of southeastern Ukraine.
"The Ukrainian army is conducting a strategic defensive operation, aiming to contain the enemy's advance, prevent them from breaking deeper, inflict maximum losses, and carry out counter-offensive actions in those sectors where we see the enemy is vulnerable," the commander said.
"Our strategy is to exhaust the Russian army as much as possible, prevent its advance, hold our territory, while simultaneously striking the enemy in the near rear, the operational depth, and… into Russia itself, with the aim of undermining its defence capability and industrial capacity."
He is referring to a capability Ukraine has developed to launch long-range drones, laden with explosives, deep into Russia to strike military targets as well as oil refineries.
The operation is aimed at destroying fuel for the tanks, warships and jets that are attacking Ukraine and - crucially - reducing oil revenues that help to fund Russia's war machine.
Sea drones crash into Russia's warships
The Ukrainian military is also deploying explosive sea drones that are smashed into Russian warships as well as tankers used to transport sanctioned Russian oil.
Asked if his forces were ready - and had sufficient manpower - to keep fighting if necessary, General Syrskyi said: "We have the resources to continue conducting military operations."
Yet Ukraine is suffering from a shortage of troops on the frontline.
Soldiers and wider society are also exhausted and facing another winter of war.
No sign of Moscow winding down war effort
President Putin has an advantage when it comes to troop numbers and firepower over time, which makes continued support to Kyiv from its allies more vital than ever.
General Syrskyi cautioned that Moscow showed no sign of winding down its war effort despite the Russian leader telling President Trump he is prepared to negotiate.
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"So we do everything so that if the enemy continues the war, and you can see that although we want peace, a fair peace, the enemy continues its offensive, using these peace talks as cover," he said.
"There are no pauses, no delays in their operations. They keep pushing their troops forward to seize as much of our territory as possible under the cover of negotiations."
He added: "So we are just forced to wage this war… protecting our people, our cities and towns, and our land."
The commander said this is what motivates his soldiers.
"If we do not do this, we can see clearly what the Russian army leaves behind, only ruins, only deaths."
As for whether the UK and other European nations should be preparing their people for the possibility of a wider war with Russia, the general said: "Of course, the armed forces of every country ensure reliable protection of their citizens, their children, and their territory.
"With the existence of aggressive states, above all the Russian Federation and its allies, this issue is extremely urgent.
"Everything must be done to ensure the capability to maintain a level of defence, and armed forces modern enough to repel aggression, both individually and in support of the allies."
Nathaniel Spencer, 38, has been charged with 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 counts of assault by penetration, nine counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration and one count of attempted assault by penetration.
It follows a police investigation into alleged sexual offences between 2017 and 2021.
Staffordshire Police said in a statement the charges come after a complex investigation by the Public Protection Unit into sexual offences at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, in Stoke-on-Trent, and Russells Hall Hospital, in Dudley.
Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit and Serious Violence, Organised Crime and Exploitation Unit, said: "We have decided to prosecute Nathaniel Spencer for a number of serious sexual offences allegedly carried out against patients while he was working as a doctor - including assault by penetration and sexual assault against a child.
"Our prosecutors have worked at length to support a detailed and complex investigation by Staffordshire Police, carefully reviewing the available evidence to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings."
Spencer, from Birmingham, will appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 20 January 2026.
The report concluded Vladimir Putin "must have" authorised the use of a nerve agent in the attack and was therefore "morally responsible" for the British woman's death.
Ambassador Andrei Kelin dismissed those claims and said he did not have a message for her family because Moscow was not involved.
"It's a tragic death, it is of course sad and Russia has nothing to do with it," he said.
The poisonings of Sergei Skripal - a former Russian spy - and his daughter were, he insisted, staged by the British government and secret services.
"The script is very elaborated," he said.
"It has been done by very talented professionals. It reminds me of Ian Fleming or even Agatha Christie"
But the ambassador offered no evidence to support his claim.
In contrast the British government and independent investigative journalists have produced abundant evidence to show the poisonings were the work of Russia military intelligence agents.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, of which Russia is a member, verified British claims novichok was used, a nerve agent invented and used only by Russia.
A public inquiry found two agents from Russia's GRU spy agency, using the aliases Alexander Petrov, 46, and Ruslan Boshirov, 47, had brought the Nina Ricci bottle containing the novichok to Salisbury from Moscow.
The officers came to London on 2 March with a third agent, known as Sergey Fedotov, to kill Mr Skripal - a former Russian spy who worked as a double agent for the UK.
In its report, the inquiry said Petrov and Boshirov had likely used this same bottle to apply the nerve agent to Mr Skripal's door before it was "carelessly discarded".
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Charlie Rowley, 52, found the bottle and gave it to Ms Sturgess, 44, who sprayed herself with its contents on 30 June 2018, and died just over a week later.
Mr Skripal, 74, his daughter Yulia, 41, and Mr Rowley, 52, all survived, but were left seriously ill.
Ambassador Kelin said the report had been timed to upset delicate peace talks over Ukraine.
He said: "By this I think the British government would like to derail talks that are very interesting and in a high stage."
The ambassador said he was personally worried about the possibility of a wider conflict erupting from the war in Ukraine.
Asked if there was a greater chance now of war between Europe and Russia than he had seen in his career, he answered there was.
"Yes, of course, listening to all these statements, about the need to prepare for the war, like our president has said, recently, two days ago that, we do not want to wage a war against Europe.
"But if Europe would like to wage a war against Russia, then we are prepared. Right now."
It had been reported that the US streaming giant was in exclusive talks over the deal following a bidding war for the assets.
Paramount Skydance and Comcast, the ultimate owner of Sky News, were the rival suitors for the bulk of WBD that also includes HBO, the HBO Max streaming platform and DC Studios.
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While Netflix has agreed a $27.75 per share price with WBD, which equates to the $72bn purchase figure, the deal gives the assets a total value of $82.7bn.
It will see WBD come under Netflix ownership once its remaining Discovery Global division, mostly legacy cable networks including CNN and the TNT sports channels, is separated.
However, the agreement is set to attract scrutiny from competition regulators, particularly in the United States and Europe.
Both WBD and Netflix do not see the prospect of the deal being completed until late 2026 or 2027.
The main stumbling block is likely to be the fact that Netflix, which has hits including Stranger Things and Squid Game, is already the world's biggest streaming service.
Further drama could come in the form of a complaint by Paramount, which had previously made a bid for the whole company.
CNBC reported this week that Paramount had claimed the auction process was biased in favour of Netflix.
Entertainment news provider Variety has also reported that major studios fear an institutional crisis for Hollywood unless the move is blocked.
Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive of Netflix, said: "By combining Warner Bros' incredible library of shows and movies - from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favourites like Harry Potter and Friends - with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better.
"Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling."
Netflix shares were trading down more than 3% in pre-market deals but recovered much of that loss when Wall Street opened. Those for WBD were up by more than 2%.
David O'Hara, managing director at the advisory firm MKI Global Partners, said of the proposed deal: "The 12-18 month timeline signals a long antitrust review, but despite the overlap between Netflix and HBO Max, there is a path to approval through possible HBO divestment.
"Netflix would not accept a $5.8bn break fee if it didn't see at least a small chance of the deal closing."
The legislation approved by the German parliament on Friday introduces a dual-track system, offering a more lucrative voluntary military service intended to attract young recruits.
However, if enlistment falls short, the bill allows for needs-based conscription to be introduced. This would require a separate vote in parliament, and could involve random selection if more citizens are eligible than needed.
All 18-year-olds in Germany will now be sent a request in January asking if they are interested and willing to join the country's army.
It's planned to be mandatory for men to respond and, in a move not seen since Germany suspended conscription in 2011, will see all men born after 1 January 2008 undergo medical evaluation, phased in as capacity allows.
The bill sets expansion goals for the Bundeswehr, meaning federal defence, with a target of up to 260,000 active soldiers - up from 183,000 currently - and at least 200,000 reservists by 2035.
German defence minister Boris Pistorius told lawmakers that "our allies are looking at Germany" and argued that the country has become a "pacesetter for defence in Europe".
He added that with the new legislation, "we are taking a further decisive step for our defence capability".
However, the decision has already been met with protests by young people, with opposition politicians calling for further action.
The Left Party's Desiree Becker said young people should "strike against the reintroduction of conscription" and inform themselves about conscientious objection.
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It comes after French president Emmanuel Macron unveiled a new military service plan to boost its armed forces in response to the threat posed by Russia.
Volunteers aged 18 and 19 will start serving next year in a 10-month military service programme, in France's mainland and overseas territories only.
France had ended conscription in 1996 and is not considering reintroducing it.
Mr Macron told French media: "There is a generation ready to rise up for the fatherland. We cannot go back to the time of conscription, but we need mobilisation.
"Our young people will have to participate in at least one commemorative ceremony per year in each school.
"We will encourage students to complete their second-year internships in our armed forces."