Italian newspapers began the day focusing on optimism surrounding the Ukraine conflict, with Trump suggesting proximity to peace and European leaders proposing a multinational force for Kyiv. However, this early optimism quickly dissipated as Moscow reiterated its firm stance against NATO troops in Ukraine and territorial concessions, especially regarding Donbas, which Zelensky refused to recognize as Russian. By midday, Russia explicitly rejected the notion of a Christmas truce and denied Trump's claims of a direct conversation with Putin, emphasizing a desire for a "real peace."
Concurrently, the European Parliament's revocation of Alessandra Moretti's immunity in the Qatargate investigation garnered significant attention in the early afternoon. Later in the day, news shifted to a tragic video from the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, showing a couple attempting to disarm the attacker before being killed, and the EU's revised automotive targets allowing for hybrid and biofuel engines beyond 2035.