LONDON – Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging foreign allies to step up pressure on Russia after Moscow launched a massive missile and drone strike, just hours after historic U.S.-Russia peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Riyadh discussions—which excluded Ukraine—were hailed by the U.S. State Department as an “important step forward” in ending Russia’s three-year-long invasion. However, shortly after the talks concluded, Russia unleashed a devastating attack on Ukraine, targeting civilian infrastructure.
Massive Russian Missile and Drone Barrage
According to Ukraine’s air force, the assault involved 167 drones and two Iskander ballistic missiles, of which 106 were intercepted while 56 were lost in flight.
Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov reported a “massive enemy strike” on a densely populated area, causing widespread electricity, heating, and water outages in the city.
Zelenskyy took to social media, condemning the attack as a deliberate strike on civilian energy facilities.
“For nearly three years, the Russian army has relentlessly used missiles and attack drones against Ukraine’s energy sector,” he stated.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that Russia’s representatives had falsely claimed during the Riyadh meeting that they do not target Ukraine’s energy sector, only for the attack to contradict those assurances.
“We must never forget that Russia is ruled by pathological liars— they cannot be trusted and must be pressured,” Zelenskyy declared.
Judge Considers Restraining Order Against Elon Musk Over DOGE
Ukraine’s Exclusion from Talks Sparks Concern
Ukraine’s absence from the Saudi peace talks has unsettled Kyiv and its European allies, who worry that negotiations could unfold without Ukraine’s input.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking from Mar-a-Lago, dismissed concerns over Ukraine’s exclusion, suggesting that Kyiv should have already negotiated a settlement with Moscow.
“They’ve had a seat for three years and a long time before that,” Trump said, implying that Ukraine had ample opportunity to reach a deal.
Trump also falsely claimed that Ukraine started the conflict, despite overwhelming evidence that Russia launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022, following eight years of cross-border aggression in Crimea and Donbas.
He went further, suggesting that Ukraine should hold new elections, despite the country’s martial law making elections impossible. Trump also claimed—without citing any sources—that Zelenskyy’s approval rating had fallen to 4%, a figure that directly contradicts recent polls.
A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology shows that 57% of Ukrainians still trust Zelenskyy, down from 77% in late 2023, but far from Trump’s assertion.
Zelenskyy: “I Will Not Yield to Russian Ultimatums”
Speaking from Turkey, Zelenskyy warned that the Riyadh talks appear to be reviving Russia’s old ultimatums, first issued during the initial stages of the invasion.
“Again, about Ukraine without Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “If Ukraine didn’t yield to ultimatums in the hardest moments, why would we agree to them now?”
U.S. and Russia to Continue Talks
Following the Riyadh summit, both the U.S. and Russia have agreed to appoint special representatives to continue negotiations.
Speaking to the Russian parliament, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who led Russia’s delegation in Saudi Arabia, described the talks as “positive” and “realistic”.
Meanwhile, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov told Channel One Russia that Trump’s Ukraine-Russia envoy, Keith Kellogg, would negotiate with Kyiv and European nations.
Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, stating his mission is to listen and report back to Trump. He dodged questions about whether Trump is siding with Putin, instead emphasizing that Trump seeks to “end the war” due to the human suffering it has caused.
“The war would never have started if Trump had been president at the time,” Kellogg added.
Conclusion
As Ukraine reels from another major Russian attack, tensions remain high over Kyiv’s exclusion from peace negotiations. With Trump’s envoy now in Kyiv and U.S.-Russia talks set to continue, the future of the war remains uncertain.
However, one thing is clear—Ukraine refuses to accept any settlement dictated without its direct involvement.
