May He Perish.

Hi Global Recap readers,

Longtime readers may remember that I used to start every newsletter with a bit of “positive news” to lighten the otherwise tragic and heavy headlines. Today, in the spirit of Christmas, I’m bringing that back.

• Clare Jones, a 47-year-old mom in Swansea, Wales, says her cancer is no longer responding to chemo, and this Christmas will likely be her last.

• So she made a simple request: if you’re sending Christmas cards this year, would you “pop one” into her mailbox, too.

• Her post was shared more than 10,000 times, and her mail quickly began to pour in. She received hundreds of cards, plus extras like chocolates, show and movie tickets, vouchers for a camping holiday, etc.

Now, being a geopolitics newsletter, we have to move onto the Christmas wishes of world leaders. First, we start with President Zelenskyy. 👇🏼

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Zelenskyy's Christmas Wish

In his Christmas address, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy leaned into a shared Ukrainian thought: "May he perish." I think it's quite clear who he is referring to.

• Line: Zelenskyy invoked a Christmas Eve belief that "the heavens open" to wishes, then dropped the blunt phrase "May he perish," widely read as a reference to the Russian President Putin.

• Pivot: He immediately steered away from vengeance and toward a more hopeful message of peace for Ukraine, safety for families, and kids getting to be kids, even during war.

• Strikes: The speech landed right after Russia launched nearly 700 missiles and drones in a single barrage, killing three people and wounding 12, which Zelenskyy called "godless" and outside anything "human."

New Peace Plan

On top of all this, Ukraine has finally revealed its 20-point peace plan backed by the U.S. This is a revision of the earlier U.S.-Russia 28-point peace plan.

Here's are some highlights:

• Article-5-like security guarantees from the U.S., NATO, and European signatories

• Ukraine's peacetime force capped at 800k

• Ukraine will become an E.U. member

• Creation of funds to address the restoration of the Ukrainian economy (aimed at $800 billion)

• Ukraine reaffirms its commitment to remaining a non-nuclear state

• In Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, the line of military positions on the date of signing will be recognized as the de facto front line.

• Russia must withdraw its troops from occupied parts of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv oblasts for the agreement to take effect.

• Potential creation of demilitarized and/or free-economic zones in parts of the east as a buffer.

🇰🇵 NORTH KOREA
Kim’s Submarine
Wish Comes True*

On the other hand, North Korean Dictator Kim seems to have another Christmas wish: Nuclear submarine.

North Korea just published fresh images of its first nuclear-powered submarine, with Kim inspecting the vessel before it has even hit the water. State media says the boat is 8,700 tons (at least on paper), putting it in the weight class of many US Navy attack subs.

• Images: The photos show Kim touring a guided-missile submarine inside what appears to be an indoor construction facility, a big tell that it has not been launched yet.

• Capability: Nuclear propulsion matters because it lets submarines stay submerged far longer than diesel-electric boats, and often run faster and quieter, which is why only a small number of countries has built them.

• Politics: Kim framed South Korea’s own nuclear-sub ambitions as a threat that must be countered.

  1. South Korea has long pursued nuclear-powered attack submarines.

  2. In late October, President Trump said he had given South Korea “approval” to build one.

  3. Even with approval, South Korea is still expected to need roughly a decade to complete construction.

• Timeline: 

  • Kim put nuclear submarines on his 2021 military wish list, and the project may have gained urgency after the recent U.S. approval for South Korea’s own nuclear-submarine push mentioned above.

  • North Korea’s submarine was first shown publicly in March 2025.

  • South Korean researcher Hong Min says the boat may already have a reactor installed and could be ready for launch after a few remaining steps, with missile tests potentially coming within about two years of launch.

🇦🇺 AUSTRALIA
Sydney Protest Ban Activated

New South Wales just banned public assemblies across large parts of Sydney for two weeks (at least), after NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon activated new powers introduced in response to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

• Trigger: The move follows the December 14 Bondi Beach mass shooting that killed 15 people, a terrorist attack that targeted a Jewish community celebrating Hanukkah.

• Law: NSW Parliament pushed through reforms on Christmas Eve after a debate, tightening rules on gun ownership and giving police a new switch to limit public assemblies.

• Zones: Lanyon’s declaration covers three major policing regions—South West Metropolitan, North West Metropolitan, and Central Metropolitan—meaning large chunks of Sydney are now off-limits for assemblies for the next 14 days. Lanyon framed protests right now as something that could "aggravate fear and divisiveness in the community."

• Runway: As noted above, the ban lasts at least two weeks, since it can be renewed every two weeks for up to three months.

🇰🇭🇹🇭 CAMBODIA & THAILAND
Border Talks After Clashes

Thailand and Cambodia have started four days of negotiations aimed at ending deadly border fighting, after a last-minute dispute over where the meeting should even happen. Both sides are now publicly talking about a ceasefire, while quietly testing whether the other side is bluffing.

• Setting: Delegations met at a border checkpoint in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province on Wednesday, with talks expected to run through Saturday.

• Stakes: Officials say the latest round of clashes has killed more than 40 people and displaced about 1 million, after the long-running border dispute reignited this month and blew up an earlier truce.

• Pressure: Thailand’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said Thailand is "very hopeful," but tied any success to Cambodia showing "sincerity" in both words and actions.

• Demands: Thailand has pushed for Cambodia to announce a truce first and to cooperate on de-mining, while Cambodia’s Interior Ministry says it is optimistic Thailand will implement a ceasefire despite ongoing cross-border fire.