With Russia’s diminished influence in Syria, Ukraine calls on Israel to reconsider its stance and provide essential defensive weapons and technology.

Following are some of the key quotes from Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in and press conference. ON HIS 25 YEARS IN POWER Yes, I think that I did more than just safeguard (Russia). I think that we have moved back from the edge of the abyss,

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin boasted that his military operation in Ukraine has strengthened Russia and denied that the ouster of key ally Bashar Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow’s prestige, as he took questions at his annual news conference and call-in show Thursday.

The statements come amid historical changes in Syria as a coalition of militia groups ... Kaja Kallas also warned against hasty moves in international negotiations regarding Ukraine. “Any push for negotiations too soon will actually be a bad deal ...

"We are ready to help Syria prevent a food crisis ... I have instructed the government to organize food deliveries in cooperation with international organizations and partners willing to help."

Syria's main ports are working normally after days of disruptions, maritime officials said on Monday, and Ukraine said it was in touch with the interim government about delivering staple foods.

The rapid downfall of Syrian leader Bashar Assad has touched off a new round of delicate geopolitical maneuvering between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Russia is deploying four of its ships to evacuate weapons and equipment from its bases in Syria, per Ukraine's main intelligence directorate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday he had instructed his government to set up supply mechanisms to deliver together with international organisations and partners food to Syria in the aftermath of the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

EU leaders convene in Brussels for the final regular European Council meeting of the year, with key discussions anticipated to focus on Ukraine, Syria, and the implications of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Associated Press journalists have been covering these conflicts since they began. Now, as 2024 ends and a new year begins, we asked two veteran AP reporters — Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Samya Kullab in Kyiv — to talk about what they saw the past year and what struck them. Here are their accounts: