KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine traded heavy aerial blows in a single day, with each side on Saturday reporting greater than 100 enemy drones over their respective territories.
The assaults comes lower than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to debate particulars of the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire within the battle with Ukraine.
Putin instructed a press convention on Thursday that he supported a truce in precept however set out a bunch of particulars that should be clarified first. Kyiv has already endorsed the truce proposal, though Ukrainian officers have publicly raised doubts as as to whether Moscow will decide to such a deal.
Chatting with reporters in Kyiv on Saturday, after digital talks between Western allies hosted by U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced his help for the 30-day full ceasefire proposal to debate a longer-term peace plan, however mentioned Russia would try and derail talks with situations.
Starmer has instructed allies to “keep the pressure” on Putin to again a ceasefire, hailing Ukraine because the “party of peace.” Starmer mentioned Putin will “sooner or later” must “come to the table.”
In an announcement earlier Saturday, Zelenskyy accused Moscow of build up forces alongside the border.
“The build up of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy,” he mentioned. “It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war.”
Nevertheless, Zelenskyy pressured that if Russia didn’t agree with the U.S. proposal, there can be “specific, harsh and straightforward” response from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
He additionally mentioned Kyiv’s troops had been sustaining their presence in Russia’s Kursk area after Trump mentioned Friday that “thousands” of Ukrainian troops had been surrounded by the Russian navy.
“There is no encirclement of our troops,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
