Russian President Vladimir Putin has ignored calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to implement a ceasefire, while Kyiv has agreed to one on the condition that Russia stop its attacks on Ukraine.
In the latest Russian attack, more than 300 strike drones and 30 missiles targeted Ukrainian cities Friday night and early Saturday, including the port city of Odesa, where one person was killed and six others injured, Zelenskyy said Saturday. Russia’s capital Moscow has been attacked by Ukrainian drones for several nights in a row, local officials and media reported.
In his address late Saturday, Zelenskyy said he was working on having the European Union’s 18th package of sanctions against Russia implemented by other European countries who are allied with Ukraine but not members of the EU. He also said “agreements” with Trump on a new arms deal — involving both the purchase of U.S.-made weapons and the export of Ukrainian drones — should be “implemented as soon as possible.”
Zelenskyy reiterated his willingness to meet with Putin and discuss an end to the war, and accused Russia of “hiding from decisions.”
“A meeting at the level of leaders is needed to truly ensure peace — a really lasting one,” Zelenskyy said. “Ukraine is ready for such a meeting,” he added.
Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul in recent months. The two sides have agreed to swap prisoners but made no breakthroughs toward ending the conflict that started with Putin’s unprovoked invasion in February 2022.