Russian drones and missiles hit Ukraine before Zelenskiy–Trump talks

On Saturday, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, ahead of important peace talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump. Zelenskiy described the attack, which involved about 500 drones and 40 missiles, as Russia’s response to ongoing peace efforts led by the U.S. These attacks caused power and heating outages in parts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

The discussions between Zelenskiy and Trump, scheduled for Sunday in Florida, were set to focus on security guarantees and territorial control once the war, which began with Russia’s invasion in 2022, ends. The attack continued for hours, with air raid alerts lasting nearly 10 hours. Kyiv’s authorities confirmed two people died, and at least 46 others were injured, including two children. Zelenskiy pointed out that Russia’s actions demonstrated its opposition to peaceful negotiations.

In Russia, air defense forces shot down eight drones approaching Moscow. Meanwhile, explosions rang out in Kyiv, where Ukrainian air defense units intercepted Russian drones targeting the city and surrounding regions. The Ukrainian power grid was severely affected, with over a million households left without power. By afternoon, 750,000 homes in Kyiv remained without electricity, and more than 40% of residential buildings lacked heat, with temperatures around freezing.

Zelenskiy had made a stop in Canada before heading to Florida, meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who emphasized the importance of standing with Ukraine. The main obstacles to peace talks remain the issue of territorial control and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Zelenskiy has said that a draft peace agreement is 90% complete but stressed the importance of long-term U.S. security guarantees. Trump has indicated he is central to the decision-making process, stating he expects the talks to go well.