Ukraine Braces for Talks with Trump Amidst Massive Russian Airstrike
Russian forces hit Ukraine’s capital and key energy facilities with a massive airstrike on the eve of talks between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Donald Trump aimed at nailing down a plan to end moscow’s war.
Zelenskiy stopped in Canada en route to the US,where he met the country’s prime minister,mark Carney,who announced an additional $2.5bn of economic aid for Ukraine.
Carney condemned the “barbaric” overnight attack on Kyiv. he said: “We have the conditions, the possibility, for the just and lasting peace,” adding this requires a “willing Russia”.
Zelenskiy and Carney were due to speak by video call with European allies. European and Canadian politicians and diplomats have sought to help Zelenskiy deal with Trump during negotiations.
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, will take part in the call, a commission spokesperson said. Key sticking points include Ukrainian security guarantees and reconstruction, plus territorial discussions regarding the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Ukraine’s president reiterated to reporters from his plane on Saturday Ukraine’s need for legally binding security guarantees from allies if hostilities are brought to an end.
More than 500 drones and 40 missiles – including Kinzhal hypersonic weapons – were launched in a barrage that started overnight and continued throughout the day on Saturday, hitting civilian targets and energy facilities. Air raid sirens have sounded in the capital for about 16 hours.
“Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘Shaheds’ speak for them,” Zelenskiy said.
The barrage killed one person in Kyiv and injured at least 30, disrupted power and water supplies, and sparked fires across several districts. About one-third of the city of over 3 million residents was left without heating with temperatures hovering around freezing.
More than 600,000 households in Kyiv and the surrounding region were without electricity around midday Saturday, Prime minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on telegram. “Russians are pursuing a campaign built on instilling exhaustion, cold, and fear,” she added.
Several high-rise residential buildings, as well as cars and other property, were set ablaze, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. Authorities imposed emergency power cuts in the capital, overriding rolling blackouts that had already been scheduled, while water supplies were also disrupted.
The Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine also saw power cuts, Ukraine’s energy ministry said. In late afternoon, Ukraine’s air force command said it had identified a missile headed toward Myrhorod in central Ukraine.
Russia attacked
Related reading