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Ukraine Gets Another Show of Support from Western Allies; 10- Hour Barrage of Drones and Missiles from Russia; Snowstorm Causes U.S. Travel Troubles; Trump Says Tariffs Fueled Q3 in U.S. GPD; Controversial Election Underway in Myanmar; Tense Truce on the Thai- Cambodian Border; Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Next Phase of Gaza Ceasefire; Family of Last Remaining Israel Hostage Using A.I. to Send Trump a Message; Ukrainian Lawmaker on Upcoming Peace Talks. Aired 4- 5a ET

Aired December 28, 2025 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gets another show of support from Western allies, and now he's set for more high-stakes talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. We'll have the latest in a live report. Plus, the family of the last remaining Israeli hostage is using A.I. to send President Trump a message in their push to find his remains. And a winter storm in parts of the U.S. is jamming up travel during the busy holiday season. We'll take a look at the impact and the forecast.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Florida right now, ahead of peace talks with his U.S. counterpart in the coming hours. A Ukrainian official posted an image of a plane with President Donald Trump's name on it after they landed.

Earlier, Zelenskyy made a stopover in Canada on his way to the meeting with Trump. Sources say the Ukrainian leader lined up more support from Prime Minister Mark Carney and European allies. Now, the trip came hours after Russian drones and missiles pounded Kyiv for almost 10 hours. Officials say at least two people were killed and 44 others wounded in the attack. Zelenskyy says the strikes revealed the Russian president's true intentions. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Putin doesn't want peace. And we want peace. And he the man of war, but he afraid to speak about publicly. But we see these steps and what we need, we need to stop this war any way and we need two things, pressure on Russia and sufficient -- strong support for Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: For more, let's go over to London, where Nada Bashir is standing by. Nada, what's the latest?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course, this meeting comes at a critical time. We have seen one of the longest and largest-scale attacks targeting Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, taking place overnight into Saturday. Some 500 drones and 40 missiles used, targeting the country's capital and killing at least two people, with dozens of others injured in that aerial assault. And that has really been something that President Zelenskyy has been focusing on in his discussions with Ukrainian -- with European leaders, with NATO leaders. And now, of course, in anticipation of this high-level meeting with the U.S. president, Donald Trump, pushing once again for greater commitments when it comes to supporting Ukraine's aerial defenses in its fight against the Russian armed forces.

And, of course, this comes at a time where President Trump, as well as other allies, including European leaders, are continuing to push for the finer details of the 20-point peace plan to be hammered out. And we've heard previously from the Ukrainian president saying that some 90 percent of that deal had already been reviewed. We've also heard indications that he may be willing to make significant concessions.

But Zelenskyy has also highlighted, in his words, in his meeting just yesterday with the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, saying to reporters that clearly the actions of Russia, the ongoing assault and barrage of drones and missiles targeting Ukraine, indicates that Russia does not want peace. But, in turn, we also have heard from President Putin in response. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We see that smart people also appeared in the West. They recommend the authorities in Kyiv to accept decent conditions of ending the conflict and offer good basic conditions for ensuring Ukraine's long-term security, restoration of relations with the Russian Federation, and economic recovery of Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now, of course, there is still a long road ahead when it comes to peace negotiations. President Trump has indicated that he may be speaking to President Putin directly in the near future. We know that U.S. officials have held high-level talks with both Ukrainian delegations and Russian delegations separately to try to come to some sort of peace agreement.

Now, President Zelenskyy has said that he may be willing to cede territory in the Donetsk region. That is something that Russia has long pushed for. In return, Ukraine would expect Russia to also cede territory in the Donbass region and effectively creating a demilitarized zone. So, that would be a crucial element of this peace plan if, indeed, it is agreed.

[04:05:00] But, of course, this is a wide-ranging peace plan, as you heard there. Ukraine is also asking for firm commitments from its international partners and allies when it comes to security backing, economic recovery support, and, of course, guarantees of Ukraine's sovereignty as well.

So, this is a wide-ranging peace plan. There is a lot to be discussed. President Zelenskyy has told reporters en route to the United States that his hope is that he will receive positive indications from the U.S. president that there are potentially some firm commitments in the pipeline.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate that. CNN's Nada Bashir in London, thanks so much.

A winter storm is causing holiday travel havoc in the northeastern U.S. and it's likely to get worse in the coming hours. The National Weather Service says this winter storm is churning up more snow, wind, and rain. TSA says today will be the busiest travel day of the holiday season with nearly 3 million travelers. But the forecast doesn't bode well for those wrapping up their winter travels. So, far, airlines have canceled more than 100 flights within, to, or from the U.S., that's according to FlightAware. There were more than 1,000 cancellations on Saturday. Some travelers took it better than others. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been waiting to get home all day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't bring gloves, and it was 87 back home yesterday, so 19 in snow here was, for us, like I said, it was a good tree, and I wish I had another day to take the granddaughter sledding, but I have to get back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And train travelers hoping to bypass the holiday airport rush were no better off. A downed wire disrupted service across Amtrak's busy northeast corridor, causing long delays and cancellations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just have a kind of chill attitude and go with the flow, because there are always hiccups and delays.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a little crowded on the upper level. So, on the lower level, it's not bad at all. We have plenty of space here, and we're just waiting for our train, which is now boarding. So, we need to run.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren explains what this winter storm will bring to the upper Midwest and northeast. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The northeast getting a bit of a break on Sunday before that next system arrives. Not expecting the same situation in terms of snow for the northeast, but we are expecting snow and wind for the upper Midwest, including the Twin Cities and a lot of central and northern Wisconsin during the day here on Sunday. It's going to be pretty mild. In fact, a record warmth, a possibility throughout parts of the southeast. Here's the precipitation. It's going to be rain in this direction.

Snow here in the pink, showing a little bit of a wintry mix. Sleet, freezing rain, a possibility here. This rain likely to eat away at some of that snow that we saw Friday night going into early Saturday for the northeast. Here are the snow showers that will be lingering right into Monday. So, we might see a quick changeover from rain to snow across parts of the northeast, but accumulating snow will be well away from the 95 Corridor, which should stay rain late Sunday and Monday.

Then there's the wind, which is just that much more headache material here for holiday travel with some of the strongest winds, including some of the big airports from Minneapolis to Chicago and even down into St. Louis gusting the wind gusts 40 to even 50 miles an hour at times. And then by late Monday, things are going to be breezy, if not downright windy across parts of the northeast as well. Then a big temperature change after that record warmth across parts of the southeast. Cold air comes crashing into much of the country.

In fact, we look at what we're expecting for a daytime high in St. Louis, 71 degrees, not getting out of the 20s on Monday.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Officials in Los Angeles County say they've safely isolated part of a natural gas pipeline that ruptured and leaked in a shelter in place order. There has now been lifted. The utility, SoCalGas says there's no indication of any explosion or ignition. The cause of the break isn't yet clear, but it's thought a mudslide may have been responsible. Now, the incident happened in Castaic, where an interstate highway has been reopened. Officials reported significant land movement near the area of the damaged pipeline.

President Trump is boasting about the economic impact of his policies in a social media post. He said tariffs help boost U.S. gross domestic product and lower the trade deficit. The president also said there is no inflation. New numbers released this week show third quarter GDP with the fastest growth in two years, rising to 4.3 percent. And the U.S. trade deficit has narrowed significantly, but inflation stands at 2.7 percent.

Well, President Trump told Politico he thinks affordability, or as he called it, pricing, will be the big issue of the midterm elections.

[04:10:00] Now, that sentiment is mirrored in a CNN poll conducted earlier this month. CNN asked Republicans what the president could do to make life better. And here are the results. Economic or cost of living concerns were top of mind for 40 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

CNN Senior Political Analyst Ron Brownstein said views of the president and the job he's doing are often the determining factor in midterm elections. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST AND BLOOMBERG OPINION COLUMNIST: He's got a big hill to climb in terms of changing perceptions. You know, the history of off-year elections, whether it's the odd year like '25, '17, '21, or the midterm, is that views of the president are the dominant factor, much more than assessments of the party that's not in the White House.

I think the history of the last few decades is pretty clear that almost everywhere where a majority of voters approve of President Trump, Republicans are very likely to win those races. And in places where a majority of voters disapprove of his performance, Democrats are highly likely to win almost all, if not literally all, of those races next year.

And as a result, the key dynamic is where he stands. And right now, views of his management of the economy, as we've talked about before, are consistently weaker than they were at any point during his first term. In his first term, the economy was a floor lifting him up, no matter what other controversies were engulfing him. In his second term, it is an undertow pulling him down. And that is the dynamic that Republicans will be running against in 2026.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Voting is taking place in Myanmar under the rule of a military junta. We go live to Yangon for a report on what's at stake in the country torn by civil war.

Plus, the mother of the last remaining Israeli hostage prepares to personally deliver an A.I. message to President Trump from her son beyond the grave.

And after weeks of violent military clashes along the Thai and Cambodian border, displaced civilians are hoping to make their way back home. We'll have the latest on the ceasefire coming up. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00]

BRUNHUBER: A controversial election got underway today in Myanmar, conducted by the military rulers who seized power in a coup five years ago. The civil war that followed is still being fought, and the country's most popular politician, Aung San Suu Kyi, is still languishing in prison. Her political party dissolved. The ballot is dominated by parties perceived to be close to the military. Hundreds have been arrested for daring to criticize the poll.

For more, we're joined now by senior international correspondent Ivan Watson, who's in Yangon. So, Ivan, explain to us where you are and what's happening around you there.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. I'm outside one of the polling stations in Yangon. This is an old school. And I can bring you along in here. The poll will close in a matter of minutes.

And what we're seeing here is kind of this subdued vibe that I think we've seen in other locations as well. These are the voting rolls. Residents come in and they check their names here, and they kind of come in, and you've got staff that are helping to organize the election that's taking place here. Part of the reason why the atmosphere might be far less excited than, say, the 2015 election, which I covered here in Yangon, is that you have a raging civil war going on across large parts of the country with a lot of suffering and a humanitarian crisis accompanied by that.

Here, you're getting a look inside as there's an electronic voting system that's being used for the first time here. Another reason might also be because it's almost five years ago that the military overthrew the elected government, and that helped plunge the country into a crisis of protests and crackdowns, violent crackdowns, and ultimately the civil war that's raging right now.

The party that won decisively in 2020 was the National League for Democracy, the NLD, and its leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who was the state counselor in the government at that time, she's been thrown in jail as well as a number of other NLD party leaders. We've actually been to a party office which is effectively boarded up right now. They're not participating, competing in this election, which leaves the USDP, the main party supported by the military in past elections, and a number of other smaller parties to compete. That might be part of why there is less excitement right now.

As one voter that I spoke to said, in her opinion, there is less freedom of choice in this election. Another voter that I spoke with said, well, he hopes that perhaps this election will help get Myanmar out of the crisis that it's in right now, and it is a very serious one.

The World Food Programme from the U.N. says that more than 12 million people in Myanmar will be suffering from acute hunger in the coming year, just to give you a sense of the humanitarian crisis underway as this election is supposed to take place right now. There has been criticism from governments like the U.K., the European Union, arguing that these are not the conditions for a free and fair election. There's a strict law that says if you criticize the elections, you can be thrown in jail. But the military government, which is mounting this election in the parts of the country that it controls, not in the parts where the war is raging, has basically dismissed this criticism, saying that the views of the international community are irrelevant. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Ivan, great to get such a unique look at what's going on there in Myanmar. We really appreciate the reporting. Ivan Watson in Yangon, thanks so much.

Now, earlier, CNN spoke to U.N. Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, about whether the election could be considered credible and legitimate. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM ANDREWS, U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON MYANMAR: Well, it can't be, frankly, and you have tens of thousands of political prisoners behind bars right now. You have the major most popular political parties outlawed. And you have people under enormous pressure inside of the country right now to go and participate in this election and show the cameras, the international cameras, that people are out there willing to vote. Those -- the tens of millions in need of humanitarian aid, for example, have been told that, well, if they want humanitarian aid, they're going to have to vote.

[04:20:00]

I've spoken with students who have told me that, well, if they want to go to the university, if they want to enroll in the university, they better vote. And it goes right along all phases of life. People are being told that if they know what's good for them and their families, they better line up and cast their votes so that this has at least an opportunity for the hunter to show and demonstrate that it is what it is describing as legitimate, whereas where everyone in the country knows it's absolutely the opposite of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. secretary of state is welcoming the truce between Thailand and Cambodia. On Saturday, the two countries pledged to stop fighting after 20 days of deadly skirmishes along heavily contested border areas.

Now, Marco Rubio is urging them to fully implement the peace deal they signed back in October. CNN's Lynda Kinkade has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hope and relief on both sides of the border in Cambodia and Thailand. After weeks of fierce border clashes, the defense ministers of both countries signed a ceasefire agreement, the second in recent months to try to end the worst fighting in years. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border. In this displacement camp in Cambodia, some people say they just want to go home and resume their daily lives without the threat of war. REN VET, DISPLACED CAMBODIAN (through translator): I have nothing to say except that I'm happy. I'm happy that I can go back home and harvest my rice. That is all I can say.

KINKADE (voice-over): The clashes between Cambodia and Thailand reignited earlier this month, both sides blaming the other for the breakdown of a previous ceasefire, which U.S. President Trump helped to broker. Under the new agreement, both sides say they'll freeze all troop movements and allow civilians in the border regions to return to their homes, a sign of progress for some in Thailand.

LADDA, THAI CITIZEN (through translator): I feel good because the country will become peaceful.

KINKADE (voice-over): Though others say they're cautious about the prospects for long-term peace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It feels like they stop just to prepare themselves and then fight again.

KINKADE (voice-over): A team from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will monitor the ceasefire, with both countries agreeing to direct communication to help maintain it.

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: There are new protests in Israel this weekend. Protesters gathered in Tel Aviv demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7th attacks. They also vowed to rally until the last hostage remains are returned.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon head to the U.S. to meet with President Trump on Monday. The meeting comes at a critical point as the Gaza ceasefire nears the end of phase one.

Now, under the deal, Hamas was required to return all living and deceased Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, but one set of remains hasn't been located. CNN's Matthew Chance has more on that hostage family's push to bring home their son.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAN GVILI: President Trump, my name is Ran Gvili, the son of Talik and Itzik.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's an extraordinary message generated by A.I. from beyond the grave in Gaza, recreating the image and voice of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, authorized by his relatives and released by the Hostage Families Forum.

R. GVILI: Mr. President, I'm asking you to see this through.

CHANCE (voice-over): It's a carefully crafted message. His mother tells me she'll personally deliver to President Trump when she meets him with the Israeli Prime Minister in Florida. Hamas is keeping hold of her son's remains, she insists, as a cynical bargaining chip. The group says it just can't find his body.

TALIK GVILI, MOTHER OF LAST HOSTAGE IN GAZA: We don't go to the second part of the agreement until Rani come back, because everyone in Israel understand it.

CHANCE: U.S. officials, including the ambassador here in Israel from the United States, has suggested that the peace process can advance while the search for your son continues. Would that be acceptable?

T. GVILI: No, no. It's not acceptable because we don't want to -- Gaza will build on my son.

CHANCE (voice-over): Under the ambitious second phase of the Trump plan, Hamas would be expected to surrender its weapons and power, something the group, which has survived an Israeli onslaught, may be reluctant to do. Israel would also have to make painful concessions, like withdrawing from Gaza while handing control to an international force. Both sides, it seems, may share a common interest in stopping Trump's peace plan in its tracks.

[04:25:00]

But frustration in Washington is growing, amid concerns both Hamas and a skeptical Israel are dragging their feet.

R. GVILI: Mr. President, finish what you started. Bring me home before it's too late.

CHANCE (voice-over): While the unknown whereabouts of the last Israeli hostage is further complicating Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Matthew Chance, CNN Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders prepare for peace talks set to begin in the coming hours. Still ahead, we'll talk to a Ukrainian lawmaker about the mood in the country ahead of the negotiations. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Let's get you up to speed with our top story. Ukraine's president is in Florida ahead of high stakes peace talks with his U.S. counterpart in the coming hours. Ukrainian official posted an image of a plane with President Donald Trump's name after they landed. On his way there, Zelenskyy made a stop in Canada meeting Prime Minister Mark Carney. While he was there, the Ukrainian leader reportedly lined up more support from European allies. Now, the trip came after Russian strikes pounded Kyiv for almost ten hours, killing at least two people and leaving 44 wounded. Prime Minister Carney had strong words in response to the attack. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: The barbarism that we saw overnight, the attack on Kyiv, shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time and that we create the conditions for this just and lasting peace and a true reconstruction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Kevin Liptak has a preview of the upcoming talks.

[04:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That onslaught of Russian missiles and drones in Ukraine is really providing an urgent backdrop to Sunday's meeting down here in Palm Beach between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He is coming here with a 20- point peace plan, essentially Ukraine's revision of the original multi-point plan that President Trump has put on the table to try and bring this conflict to an end.

Included in his proposal is a full, immediate cease-fire, legally binding agreements as part of this plan, a development package that would ensure some financial support for Ukraine as it rebuilds, and security guarantees provided by the U.S. and Europe. But President Trump has sounded a somewhat tepid note heading into the meeting when it comes to Zelenskyy's proposal. He says he doesn't have anything until I approve it, but that we'll see what he's got.

And so, the president not necessarily sounding sold on what Zelenskyy will be bringing here to Florida, but certainly eager to hear him out and discuss some of the parameters of this peace plan. Now, just the fact that this meeting is on the calendar at all does seem to signal some significant progress. President Trump said earlier this month that he did not think it would be useful for him to sit down with Zelenskyy unless he felt they were close to reaching a peace deal.

And there have been intensive discussions underway, including down here in South Florida between the president's foreign envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a delegation from Ukraine, separately meeting with a delegate from Russia to try and reconcile their positions and come up with a plan that all sides can sign off on. We heard that they were about 90 percent there. But, of course, it is that remaining 10 percent that is proving to be the most difficult, including this question of land concessions.

Russia has not backed off some of its demands, including that Ukraine give up the entire Donbass region. For Zelenskyy's part, he is no longer ruling land concessions out entirely, which has been his position for quite some time now, so showing some flexibility on that front. And heading into this meeting, he did say that he would be willing to put any peace plan up for a referendum in Ukraine.

Ukraine's constitution requires a referendum for any changes in its boundaries, which does seem to indicate that some progress is being made. And so, this will be an important moment for the two men to sit down and hammer out some of the specifics of the plan. But, of course, Vladimir Putin will not be here in Palm Beach, Russia not represented at these talks. And it still remains an open question of what exactly Moscow will agree to as this war approaches the four-year mark.

Kevin Liptak, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: With the war against Russia raging for nearly four years, life has changed dramatically for some of the thousands who fled Ukraine. CNN's Danny Freeman introduces us to a young woman who came to the U.S. as a shy teenager, but is achieving success despite the adversity in her homeland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a recent chilly morning in northeast Philadelphia --

BILLY MARCHIO, HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER: Who is the real Othello?

FREEMAN (voice-over): -- an advanced English class read Shakespeare.

MARCHIO: It's act five, scene two.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Acting out a tragedy about unjust violence.

KATE SOBOLEVSKA, FLED WAR IN UKRAINE IN 2022: Then Lord, have mercy on me.

FREEMAN (voice-over): But in this class, 18-year-old senior, Kate Sobolevska, is herself a symbol of resilience in the face of tragedy. Because before she was Kate from Philadelphia --

SOBOLEVSKA: I feel like it's easier to say Kate.

FREEMAN (voice-over): She was Kateryna from Ukraine.

SOBOLEVSKA: I'm from Lviv, not exactly the city, the smaller city in Lviv region.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Just a few years ago, Kateryna was living happily in her peaceful community.

SOBOLEVSKA: It's very cozy. It's very, very small. I can cross the whole city in like a day.

FREEMAN (voice-over): A big sister with a loving family. President of her student government, who loved handball and ballroom dancing. FREEMAN: Like waltz.

SOBOLEVSKA: Yes. Cha, cha, cha, cha. Yes.

FREEMAN: Really?

SOBOLEVSKA: Yes.

FREEMAN: You did all of that in Ukraine when you're small.

SOBOLEVSKA: Slick hair and heels.

FREEMAN: Do you remember when it all changed?

SOBOLEVSKA: I do.

FREEMAN (voice-over): In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Kate, her mom and her little brother quickly decided they had to leave the country.

FREEMAN: What went through your mind when you heard that news that you were leaving your home?

SOBOLEVSKA: It was really stressful, but I believed it would be for like two weeks, then a month, then two months.

FREEMAN (voice-over): And men between the ages of 18 and 60 were banned initially from leaving the country. So, her father had to stay behind.

SOBOLEVSKA: I talk with him every single day. He's my main support. And he's really proud. And I just wish he could see me grow up. And just understanding that last time he saw me was when I was 14 is really hard.

[04:35:00]

FREEMAN (voice-over): Kate's family traveled through Europe and passed through New York before settling in Philadelphia, where she started attending George Washington High School.

FREEMAN: How would you describe yourself when you first got here?

SOBOLEVSKA: Very lost. The school was very big. And also, again, language barrier. I wasn't really confident in speaking. And I was also really shy. And I didn't know anyone.

GIANNA LOZZI, HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER: She's very quiet, very reserved.

FREEMAN (voice-over): But then South Philly English teacher Gianna Lozzi started to read Kate's work.

LOZZI: There's something about being an English teacher and getting that first paper from a kid and being like, oh, OK, like you could write. FREEMAN (voice-over): But she had no idea about Kate's journey.

LOZZI: She would start to come for lunch and, you know, sit closer to me and we would talk a lot. And that's when she opened up about, you know, all the things that she's been through, what brought her here.

FREEMAN (voice-over): English teacher Billy Marchio runs the school's honors program.

MARCHIO: I said, you know, what can you tell me about Kate? And they said, oh, you know, the levels are off the charts. So, I took Kate in.

FREEMAN: And it sounds like she rose to the occasion.

MARCHIO: She did.

FREEMAN (voice-over): While frequently translating for her family at home and helping take care of her younger brother since arriving in 2022, Kate has simultaneously risen to the top of her class, become a member of the National Honor Society, and even got into a summer journalism program at Princeton.

MARCHIO: We're academics first and artists after.

FREEMAN (voice-over): This past fall, Mr. Marchio nominated Kate to be Senior of the Month across the entire Philadelphia School District, and she got it.

MARCHIO: Not many people can, you know, do calculus and do these chemical equations with all of that weighing in their mind.

LOZZI: I think that her classmates are very, you know, inspired by her. We have a lot of, you know, Ukrainian refugees here, and I think it's going to be so encouraging and a hopeful scenario for them.

FREEMAN (voice-over): And Kate, from Ukraine, understands the responsibility.

SOBOLEVSKA: There are kids in Ukraine who don't have ability to go to school or go to school, and they have to go to bomb shelter every single day. I feel like I just have to be grateful for what I have. And that's the best thing I could do.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: What a great story. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: Returning to our top story, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Florida right now ahead of peace talks with his U.S. counterpart. Earlier, Zelenskyy made a stopover in Canada on his way to the meeting with Donald Trump. Sources say the Ukrainian leader lined up more support from Prime Minister Mark Carney and European allies. The trip came hours after Russian drones and missiles pounded Kyiv for almost 10 hours.

For more, we're joined by Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Ukrainian Parliament, and he's speaking to us from Kyiv. Good to see you again. Thanks so much for being here with us.

So, as I mentioned, President Zelenskyy has landed in Florida. President Trump's signals going into this meeting have been kind of lukewarm. What's your level of optimism going into this meeting?

OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Well, honestly, I'm not really optimistic because everything depends on the major obstacle, which is Putin. And Putin, in response to this peace proposal, peace plan prepared by Ukraine and an American delegation, Putin has already responded in a very telling, very clear way.

He's been bombarding Kyiv ruthlessly for many hours. And it's a very clear signal, very clear response that Putin is not the person with whom you can make any deal. I believe that President Trump should bring to justice, help to bring to justice war criminal and terrorist Putin, and it will be -- it will open the pathway to true peace and stability.

BRUNHUBER: OK. So, you expect that no matter what actually concretely comes from this meeting, you expect Russia to just reject it?

MEREZHKO: Absolutely, because Putin has rejected it many, many times. And before when we had so-called Minsk Accords, when we had bilateral treaties with Russia, recognizing our territorial integrity and sovereignty, Russia has violated everything. And to me it makes absolutely no sense to expect that you can make a deal with a person who is a liar and who will be cheating. And it's obvious. So, it makes absolutely no sense even to have a hope that you can make a deal with such person.

BRUNHUBER: OK. So, then, you know, if that is true, I mean, the question becomes what will President Trump do? President Zelenskyy said that if Russia doesn't agree to the plan, then the existing pressure isn't enough. Obviously, you agree, given what you said earlier. But what does more pressure on Moscow, you know, realistically, concretely, actually look like at this point, do you think?

MEREZHKO: Well, first of all, President Trump has already made very positive, I would say, steps when he has imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies. It was a move in the right direction, and I hope that he will continue, he will be consistent.

I believe that he should just follow through on his previous promises and on his previous idea about unconditional ceasefire. The key question is how to make Putin, how to make Russia to observe, to agree to this ceasefire, and the only option is to provide Ukraine with all necessary military assistance to help us to defend ourselves from Russian aggression, and second, to deprive Russia of its oil revenues, thereby to stop Russian war machine, which is committing genocide against Ukrainian people. American president can do it, and he should do it.

BRUNHUBER: On what might come out of these talks with President Trump, I mean, we have heard Zelenskyy sort of outlining some concessions. You have laid out three firm red lines for Ukraine, and among them has been no territorial concessions, but now President Zelenskyy is saying he'd consider pulling troops out of parts of Donetsk. So, if it becomes a demilitarized zone, has the red line on territory actually moved then?

MEREZHKO: Well, first of all, President, I haven't heard him saying that he is ready to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the territory of Donetsk Oblast. On the contrary, he continues to insist on the principle that it can be, so to speak, frozen along the current front line, because it's totally unacceptable for us to withdraw our troops.

[04:45:00]

And as for the idea about demilitarized zone or free economic zone, to me it sounds very vague and strange, because the key question remains, who will be in control? Ukrainian troops, or Russian troops, or maybe American troops? We don't have answer to this key question. That's why it makes no practical sense even to discuss this idea, because it might be just a euphemism to say that it's to conceal, to hide the idea of Putin's demand to withdraw Ukrainian troops, and as I said, it's totally unacceptable for us.

BRUNHUBER: So, what would -- obviously, some sort of concessions must be given here. What would be acceptable then, in your mind, for Ukraine in terms of the land?

MEREZHKO: It's already huge concession when we say that we agree that there will be ceasefire along the current front line, and also we can agree to return the temporarily occupied by Russia territories, not necessarily by using military force, but by diplomatic and political means. It's already a huge concession.

BRUNHUBER: Finally, I want to ask you specifically about some of the parts of Donetsk that Ukraine still holds, cities like Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, which anchor your defensive positions. Can you help us understand the military significance of that territory?

MEREZHKO: Well, first of all, they have not only strategic significance, because it's like a bastion, like a fortress. We cannot allow Russia to occupy these areas, let alone to withdraw voluntarily from these territories, because it will open a gateway for Russia to occupy other regions. But also, it's extremely important moral issue, because we're talking about people living in the cities, in the settlements, and we cannot, we have no moral right and legal right to sacrifice them and to subject them to Russian tortures, murders, rapes as they did in Bucha and Irpin.

We absolutely have no right, and I hope that American president understand importance of protecting people, civilian population from Russian brutal crimes against Ukrainians.

BRUNHUBER: I know you're pessimistic about today's meeting. We'll see what does come of it in the end. Oleksandr Merezhko in Kyiv. Thank you so much for speaking with us. Always appreciate it.

Nigeria says no civilians were killed in U.S. air strikes targeting ISIS militants, but there are so many questions about the Christmas Day strikes. CNN's Larry Madowo has more from London.

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LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are still some unanswered questions over the Thursday night air strikes in northwest Nigeria that President Trump called a Christmas gift to Islamic terrorists there that have been primarily targeting innocent Christians. One, the Nigerians disagree on that, but more on that in a little bit.

First, the U.S. military said that multiple terrorists were killed at ISIS camps in Sokoto State, but there has been no battle damage assessment. We have not seen any video of the aftermath. We have not seen any burning bushes. We have not seen anything to confirm that. We did see some craters formed a small-scale aftermath in both Sokoto State and Kwara State, but nothing more than that, and it's been more than 48 hours now.

The residents there were also surprised by why Sokoto State was the first to be hit by these air strikes. It's 90 percent Muslim and they largely coexist peacefully with the Christian minority there. Sokoto is home to what is known as the Sokoto Caliphate, essentially the spiritual home of Islam in Nigeria, and they do have some kidnappings, some banditry, and even some attacks from armed groups like Lakurawa, but nothing to the scale of the militant attacks we've seen in the northeast of Nigeria. So, that caught some residents there by surprise.

The Nigerian government also pushed back on the U.S. characterization as this was an attack on terrorists who target Christians. The Nigerian government maintains that they have a terrorism problem. It's a regional security issue across the Sahel, from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, and actually more Muslims than Christians have suffered because most of that region is inhabited by Muslims.

Pete Hegseth, President Trump's secretary of defense, said more to come. It's not clear when that more will come. Will it be in other parts of the region, and could that include American boots on the ground? So, a lot of questions going into the new year.

Larry Madowo, CNN, London.

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BRUNHUBER: And the Nigerian foreign minister said the country's president approved the strike and called the collaborative effort with the U.S., and he emphasized the operation was not targeting any religion, and that Nigeria works with its partners like the U.S. to fight terrorism and protect lives and property. [04:50:00]

Well, this is projected to be the busiest travel day of the year, and with winter storms impacting much of the country, flight delays are piling up. Ahead, a travel expert shares stress-saving tips. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Millions of people are traveling back home today. AAA says more than 122 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles this holiday season. That will be a new record, but with winter storms hitting the Northeast, flight delays are piling up. Website FlightAware says so far today there have been more than 600 delays and more than 140 cancellations. That's in addition to what happened Saturday when more than 10,000 flights into or within the U.S. were delayed.

Now, CNN spoke to Going.com travel expert Katy Nastro to find out how flyers can ensure a smooth trip despite all these weather delays. Here she is.

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KATY NASTRO, GOING.COM TRAVEL EXPERT: Immediately, we want travelers to take advantage of the travel waivers that airlines have out. We typically see these during peak periods of really bad weather, where you can actually make changes to your flight without any additional cost to you, as well as it doesn't matter what ticket type you have. So, if you purchased a basic economy ticket, for example, the most restrictive ticket type, in this scenario with the travel waiver, you are allowed to make changes. And again, we want people to act quickly.

If you are going to take advantage of one of these waivers and, say, take a flight in a few days or maybe even, you know, try to get that first flight out, which typically see a higher on-time arrival rate, you want to act quickly because so many more people are traveling over a peak time period like the winter holidays. And 2025 has seen some record-breaking days, and this past week is no different in terms of volume. So, act quickly and take advantage of the waivers when you can.

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[04:55:00]

BRUNHUBER: All right. Now, to the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens keeping their playoff hopes alive with a big win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, 41-24, and despite missing star quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Ravens' offense couldn't be stopped. Running back Derek Henry put the team on his back, ending the game with four touchdowns. Green Bay was also missing its starting QB and struggled to catch up. The Packers now mark a third straight loss allowing the Chicago Bears to claim the NFC North title.

The Houston Texans fought their way into the AFC playoff spot with a close contest with the L.A. Chargers. Houston jumped out to an early lead on Saturday, and their defense charted five sacks, suffocating the Chargers' offense all game. Now, the Texans went on to win 20-16 adding an eighth straight victory to their red-hot winning streak.

In college football, number 12-ranked BYU rallied late in the second half to beat number 24, Georgia Tech, in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. With two minutes remaining, BYU scored a rushing touchdown giving them the lead. Georgia Tech had a chance to respond, but was picked off in the end zone as the final seconds ticked away, sealing the win for BYU 25-21. And, as is tradition, the edible Pop-Tarts mascot took center stage after the game. They were lowered into a giant toaster and eaten by the winning school in what's become an annual viral sensation.

All right. That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

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