Russia has launched a major drone and missile attack on Kyiv, raising fresh doubts about the likelihood of a quick end to the war as Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for a crucial meeting with Donald Trump on Sunday.
Russian drones and ballistic missiles pummelled Kyiv in an overnight attack that lasted until late morning. Explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital for several hours as air defences opened fire on the incoming projectiles.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 519 drones and 40 missiles. One person died and 32 were injured, while nearly a third of the capital was temporarily left without heating, city officials said.
Footage showed one drone exploding into an apartment building and another was spotted in the Kyiv region. By Saturday morning, multiple fires were raging.
“Today, Russia showed how it reacts to the peaceful negotiations between Ukraine and the United States regarding ending Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
The Ukrainian president flew to Halifax, Canada, on Saturday where he met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Carney said the overnight attack “shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine” and described the upcoming meeting with Trump as a “crucial moment”. He also announced an extra C$2.5bn ($1.8bn) in financial assistance for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also on Saturday held an online meeting with European leaders, who reiterated their support for Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the group, which included Germany, France and several other countries, “touched base” with Zelenskyy ahead of his talks with Trump.
She added that they “welcome all efforts” towards a peace deal that would “strengthen [Ukraine’s] security and defence capabilities, as an integral part of the security of our continent.”
Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s prime minister, added that “tomorrow is an important day.”
During his meeting with the US president on Sunday in Florida, Zelenskyy will try to lock in the details of a 20-point peace plan developed with the US that is meant to be presented to Russia.
But on Friday Trump made clear that his endorsement of the plan was not guaranteed. Zelenskyy “doesn’t have anything until I approve it”, Trump told Politico. “We’ll see what he’s got . . . I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Russia’s President Vladimir] Putin.”
The White House said that the presidents would meet on Sunday afternoon in Palm Beach, where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club is located.
Zelenskyy said earlier this week that a draft of the plan as well as other related documents “largely reflect the joint Ukrainian-American position”, but acknowledged there were sticking points relating to possible concessions, security guarantees and elections.
On Saturday he said he was hoping to discuss “a plan of sequential actions” with Trump: “We want to propose, step by step, how to make all the plans I have already mentioned actually work.”
Answering questions from reporters on WhatsApp, Zelenskyy said that “red lines” for Kyiv include recognition of Russian territorial seizures and the fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede swaths of the Donetsk region known as Donbas, something that was included in a 28-point US peace proposal revealed in November.
Putin appeared in military uniform late on Saturday at a command point to tout claims of his forces’ success on the frontline.
In an apparent reference to the talks in Florida, Putin said the west was offering Kyiv “good basic conditions to ensure Ukraine’s security in the long-term historical perspective,” which he said included “restoring relations with Russia and the Ukrainian economy.”
If Ukraine did not accept those conditions, however, Putin said Russia would meet his aims for the war on the battlefield.
Zelenskyy said this week that Ukraine could withdraw “heavy forces” from the part of Donbas it controls if Russian troops also pulled back, but rejected handing territory to Moscow.
Russia’s regular long-range attacks make organising elections or a referendum on the peace plan impossible, Zelenskyy said.
“Because this happens daily, because Russia attacks us every day — the sky must be safe, and security ensured throughout our territory, at least for the duration of the elections or a referendum,” he told reporters.
The Ukrainian president insisted ironclad security guarantees from the west remain Ukraine’s “most important consideration”, but whether it receives them “depends primarily on President Trump”.
Zelenskyy also added on Saturday he planned to speak with European leaders following the talks with Trump.
“We really want to meet with European leaders, to share and discuss all these developments, because there are security guarantees with the US, but they are also security guarantees that depend on our European colleagues.”
France will host a meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing, countries which have pledged to help support Ukraine and peace talks, in early January, the Élysée said.
Additional reporting by Steff Chávez, Ilya Gridneff, Max Seddon, Laura Pitel, Henry Foy and Sarah White
