Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions endured a barrage of Russian missiles and drones on Saturday, just hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky was set to hold crucial peace talks with former US President Donald Trump. The attacks underscore the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the high stakes involved in potential diplomatic breakthroughs.
Ukrainian air defence units were actively engaged in repelling the aerial assault over the capital, with the military reporting the deployment of missiles and the targeting of the capital and surrounding regions by Russian drones. An air raid alert remained in effect for several hours in Kyiv, though immediate reports of damage or power cuts were not available.
These strikes occurred as President Zelensky indicated that his upcoming meeting with Mr. Trump would focus on establishing a framework for ending the nearly four-year-old war, specifically addressing territorial control and the cessation of hostilities. The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has become Europe’s deadliest since the Second World War.
In parallel developments, President Zelensky expressed openness to a public referendum on his 20-point peace proposal, a plan brokered by the US. However, significant challenges remain, particularly concerning the disposition of territory in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland and the management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to “torpedo” peace talks, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov expressing cautious optimism about progress while also levelling criticism. Ryabkov suggested that Kyiv and its allies within the European Union were actively working to undermine any potential agreement, emphasizing the need for a resolution to the crisis’s root causes.
Adding another layer to the complex geopolitical landscape, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly told Russian President Vladimir Putin that their nations shared a deep bond, forged “in the same trench” during the Ukraine war. Pyongyang has been accused by South Korean and Western intelligence agencies of supplying thousands of troops to support Moscow’s invasion, with North Korea acknowledging combat deaths among its personnel deployed to Russia.
President Zelensky also highlighted Russia’s alleged use of residential buildings in neighbouring Belarus to circumvent Ukrainian defences. He accused Russia of placing antennae and equipment on apartment blocks to guide drone attacks into western Ukraine, a tactic he described as a “disregard for human lives” and urged Minsk to cease its complicity.
The heightened military activity and diplomatic maneuvering come as Poland temporarily closed two airports in its southern region due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, with its armed forces scrambling fighter jets in response. This action demonstrates the regional implications of the ongoing conflict and the heightened security concerns in neighbouring NATO countries.
