Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Putin bombs Kyiv with drone swarm after Zelensky hails adjustments to Trump’s peace plan
A Russian drone swarm struck homes in Kyiv in the early hours of today, forcing residents to flee apartment buildings and injuring four.
The latest attack on the Ukrainian capital came at a key moment in talks to end the war, with Volodymyr Zelensky welcoming amendments to Donald Trump‘s 28-point peace plan following meetings in Geneva.
Trump had also hailed the progress made in those talks, writing on Truth Social that “something good just may be happening”.
But hours later the Kremlin sank any hope that the framework of a peace deal could be agreed upon by Thanksgiving, with a Russian official saying Europe’s proposed amendments were not constructive and did not work for Moscow.
In a sign that both sides remain far apart, the Kremlin said that Europe’s demands for Ukraine would not be accepted by Vladimir Putin but said that an earlier proposal by the US seemed “quite acceptable to us”.
The US president had given Ukraine until Thanksgiving, this Thursday, to agree to a plan – but US officials later indicated that deadline could change.
Romania scrambles fighter jets after drones breach airspace
Romania’s defence ministry has reportedly scrambled fighter jets after drones breached its airspace near its border with Ukraine on Tuesday.
It follows a spate of reported airspace violations across Europe in recent weeks.
Death toll in Russian attack on Kyiv rises to six
At least six people have been killed in Kyiv in Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.
He also said at least nine people were injured.
Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in the early hours today, striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure, according to video footage and local authorities.
A residential building in the central Pechersk district and another in Kyiv’s eastern district of Dniprovskyi were badly damaged, the mayor said.
Only ‘red line’ on Ukraine peace plan is Russia, says France’s Macron
French president Emmanuel Macron said only Russia stands in the way of peace in Ukraine.
“The only red line we have since three years is called Russia,” Macron said, in a pre-recorded clip posted on X by French radio RTL.
Macron added that the US peace plan for Ukraine goes in the right direction but there are things that need to be improved in it.
“We want peace for Ukraine but not something that would represent a capitulation,” he said, adding that no one can tell Ukraine what territory they should give up.
The first 28-point peace proposal caught many in the US government, Kyiv and Europe off-guard and prompted fresh concerns that the Trump administration might be willing to push Ukraine to sign a peace deal heavily tilted towards Moscow.
The plan, which the US has denied was drafted by Moscow, would require Kyiv to cede more territory, accept curbs on its military and bar it from ever joining Nato, conditions Kyiv has long rejected as tantamount to surrender.
It would also do nothing to allay broader European fears of further Russian aggression.
Ukraine’s European allies drew up a counter-proposal which, according to a copy reviewed by Reuters, would halt fighting at the present frontlines, leave discussions of territory for later, and include a Nato-style US security guarantee for Ukraine.
Only Trump wants Putin in G8, says Merz
Only Trump wants Russia back in G8, says MerzGermany’s chancellor has indicated that other European nations do not want Russia to be allowed back into the G8 group of nations.
“At the moment, I cannot see that among the six members of today’s G7 who are not America, there is a willingness to readmit Russia to this group,” Friedrich Merz said.
Russia’s re-entry into what was the G8 is among the issues being discussed as part of talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Watch: Kyiv residential buildings on fire after Russian strikes
White House denies Trump plan favours Russia
A White House spokesperson has denied president Donald Trump is favouring one side over another, after his peace proposals appeared heavily weighted in Russia’s favour.
Officials on Monday said progress was made in urgent weekend talks on amending the draft, but the Kremlin said it hadn’t seen the changes.
An adviser to Ukraine’s president who attended the talks in Geneva between US and Ukrainian officials told the Associated Press they managed to discuss almost all the plan’s points, and one unresolved issue is that of territory, which can only be decided at the head of state level. Ukraine and allies have ruled out territorial concessions.
In photos: Kyiv under attack despite US peace push
Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early today, striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure, according to video footage and local authorities.
A residential building in the central Pechersk district and another in Kyiv’s eastern district of Dniprovskyi were badly damaged, mayor Vitali Kitschko said.
Video footage posted to Telegram showed a large fire spread through multiple floors of the nine-story building in Dniprovskyi. At least four people were injured, the head of Kyiv city administration, Tymor Tkachenko said.
Ukraine’s energy ministry said that energy infrastructure had been hit, without specifying what type or the extent of the damage.
The Russian attack followed talks between US and Ukraine representatives in Geneva on Sunday about a US-Russia brokered peace plan.
US holds secret Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi – report
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll arrived in Abu Dhabi for peace talks with Ukraine’s military intelligence chief and a Russian delegation, the Financial Times reported.
Driscoll and the Russian side began talks on Monday night, the report said, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Three killed and 10 injured in Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rostov region
Three people were killed and 10 injured in a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rostov region, governor Yuri Slyusar said this morning.
The Russian defence ministry said that 249 Ukrainian drones were downed over Russian regions overnight.
At least six people were injured in Russia’s Krasnodar region as a result of a drone attack, governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.
Peace deal or not, this must be Europe’s next brave move to counter Russian aggression
But a non-Nato, Nato-style alliance of the West would be a powerful entity that would give Putin pause for thought if it acted together and with the sort of confidence the Kremlin has shown on the world stage.
From Vladimir Putin down, Russians believe in their deepest core that “the West” is their enemy.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley says there is a powerful alternative:
Source: independent.co.uk
