Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Kyiv strikes show Putin’s ‘true attitude’ ahead of Trump peace talks
Volodymyr Zelensky sayid that a “sick” drone attack on Kyiv by Russian forces revealed Vladimir Putin’s “true attitude” as he is set to meet US counterpart Donald Trump to work out a deal to end nearly four years of war.
About a third of Ukraine’s capital was left without heat in sub zero weather conditions after Moscow’s air force launched almost 500 drones, largely shaheds, and 40 missiles in an ongoing strike. The air force said Russian drones were targeting the capital and regions in the northeast and the south.
In a post on X, Zelensky said: “Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘shaheds’ speak for them. This is the true attitude of Putin and his inner circle.”
Before the overnight attacks, Zelensky said his talks in Florida would focus on the territory to be controlled by each side after a halt to the fighting.
The Ukrainian president said his peace agreement was “90 per cent ready”.
However, Trump said Zelensky “doesn’t have anything until I approve it”.
“So we’ll see what he’s got,” Trump told Politico.
The role the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station will play in peace
A critical point in the peace plan will involve control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe’s largest, which was seized by Russia in the opening weeks of the war.
Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the areas of the eastern region of Donetsk that Russian troops have failed to occupy in their drive to secure all of the Donbas, which also includes the Luhansk region.
Kyiv, however, wants the fighting halted at the current lines.
Under a US compromise, a free economic zone would be set up if Ukrainian troops pull back from parts of the Donetsk region, though details have yet to be worked out.
Axios quoted Zelensky as saying that if he is not able to push the US to back Ukraine’s position on the land issue, he was willing to put the 20-point plan to a referendum – as long as Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire allowing Ukraine to prepare for and hold the vote.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Kyiv’s version of the 20-point plan differed from what Russia had been discussing with the U.S., according to the Interfax-Russia news agency.
But he expressed optimism that matters had reached a “turning point” in the search for a settlement.
Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, spoke with members of the Trump administration after Moscow received US proposals about a possible peace deal, the Kremlin said on Friday. It did not disclose how Moscow had viewed the documents.
