Russia launched greater than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime assaults, the Ukrainian air pressure stated Monday, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire within the greater than 3-year struggle.
There was no response from the Kremlin, in the meantime, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s problem for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to satisfy him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week.
America and European governments have made a concerted push to cease the combating, which has killed tens of 1000’s of troopers on each side in addition to greater than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia’s invading forces have taken round one-fifth of Ukraine.
In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the U.S. and European leaders however supplied direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday.
Ukraine, together with European allies, had demanded Russia settle for a ceasefire beginning Monday earlier than holding peace talks. Moscow successfully rejected that proposal and as a substitute known as for direct negotiations in Istanbul.
U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine settle for the Russian provide. Zelenskyy went a step additional Sunday and put the stress on Putin by providing a private assembly between the leaders.
France added its voice to that provide Monday, with French Overseas Minister Jean-Noël Barrot urging Putin to simply accept — although he repeated the European place {that a} truce should be in place earlier than the talks. Russia’s failure to affix the ceasefire supplied by Ukraine would convey additional sanctions on Moscow, European leaders say.
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In Kyiv, native folks expressed a mix of hope and despondency amid the most recent peace efforts.
Putin doesn’t need a truce to halt the struggle as a result of “it’ll imply that he has misplaced,” Antonina Metko, 43, informed The Related Press.
“That’s the reason they’re suspending it. And all the pieces will proceed in the identical manner. Sadly,” she stated.
Vladyslav Nehrybetskyi, 72, was extra upbeat, saying “the seeds” of a peace settlement are being sown regardless that “a troublesome course of” lies forward. “So let’s hope,” he stated.
The Ukrainian authorities has tried to maintain up the momentum for a peace deal began by the Trump administration.
“Ukraine desires to finish this struggle and is doing all the pieces for this,” Zelenskyy stated on Telegram Monday. “We count on applicable steps from Russia.”
The Ukrainian chief stated he informed Pope Leo XIV about peace efforts throughout his first telephone dialog with the brand new pontiff.
Ukraine is relying on the Vatican’s assist in securing the return of 1000’s of kids that the Kyiv authorities says have been deported by Russia, Zelenskyy stated, including that he had invited the pope to go to Ukraine.
In his first Sunday midday blessing as pontiff, Leo known as for a real and simply peace in Ukraine. “I carry in my coronary heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian folks,” he stated.
In 2022, within the struggle’s early months, Zelenskyy repeatedly known as for a private assembly with the Russian president however was rebuffed, and finally enacted a decree declaring that holding negotiations with Putin had turn into inconceivable.
Putin and Zelenskyy have solely met as soon as, in 2019. Trump says “deep hatred” between the perimeters has made it troublesome to push peace efforts ahead.
—Sylvie Corbet contributed from Paris.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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