Russia Strikes Kyiv Ahead of Zelensky-Trump Peace Talks

Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine on Saturday, just hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky’s scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss a potential deal to end nearly four years of war.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv as Ukrainian air defence systems responded, while the military said on Telegram that missiles were being deployed. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian drones were targeting the capital as well as regions in the northeast and south of the country, The Caspian Post reports, citing Reuters.

An air raid alert remained in force in Kyiv for about four hours after it was first issued.

There were no immediate reports of damage or power outages.

Prior to the overnight attacks, Zelensky said his planned talks in Florida on Sunday would focus on determining which territories would be controlled by each side following a halt in the fighting that began in February 2022, when President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine - the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

Russia did not immediately comment on the latest strikes.

Earlier, on Thursday night, Russian forces targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and intensified attacks on the southern Odesa region, home to the country’s main seaports.

As heavy fighting continues, territorial issues remain the main diplomatic obstacle. Zelensky said a 20-point draft peace plan driven by the United States was about 90 percent complete.

He added that a security guarantees agreement between Ukraine and the United States was nearly finalized, calling it a key element after previous post-Soviet guarantees failed to prevent aggression.

“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky told Politico.

Trump said the United States was leading the peace process.

“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”

Zelensky told Axios that Washington had proposed a 15-year security guarantee deal, renewable after that period, but Kyiv was seeking a longer, legally binding agreement to protect against future Russian attacks.