A day before U.S. President Donald Trump plans to speak with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin about ending the war, Russia sent a large wave of drones into Ukraine on Sunday. It was the biggest Russia drone attack since the war began, destroying several homes and sadly killing a woman.
Intelligence reports suggest that Russia could attempt to fire a long-range missile later on Sunday. This action seems intended to intimidate Western countries and show Russia’s power.
Moscow has not given any answer yet to the accusation. There was no quick response from them after the claim was made.
While attending Pope Leo’s inauguration in Rome on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting was part of his effort to rebuild ties with Washington. He is trying to improve relations after a difficult visit to the White House earlier this year.
The discussion between the leaders was reported to be smooth and friendly. Zelenskiy shared photos of the Ukrainian and American officials smiling and sitting together around a round table. According to Ukrainian news, the meeting was both meaningful and well-paced.
After meeting the new pope, Zelenskiy said Ukraine is ready to join honest peace talks. He also stressed how urgent it is to have a total and immediate stop to the fighting, with no strings attached.
Tensions remained high as Ukraine and Russia met in person for the first time in over three years on Friday. They agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each. However, they couldn’t reach a peace agreement. Russia proposed demands that Ukraine rejected as unacceptable.
Before the US and Russian presidents hold talks on Monday, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland plan to meet with President Trump, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The four leaders recently visited Kyiv together. They have been urging Trump to take stronger action in response to the situation.
When the question of tougher sanctions on Russia drone attack came up, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the final call belongs to President Trump. He made it clear that this is a matter for the president to decide.
He mentioned during his talk on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ that we’ll only know the outcome after both parties sit down and have a proper conversation.
Failure to engage sincerely from Putin’s side could lead to stricter penalties, as Trump has warned that the U.S. and European nations won’t hold back on adding more sanctions against Russia.
On Sunday morning, by 8 a.m., Ukraine’s air force shared that Russia had sent out 273 drones overnight, hitting several cities. This Russia drone attack turned out to be the biggest so far, even larger than the one that happened in February during the war’s third year.
The Sound of the Drone Cut Through the Quiet
As her family home lay in ruins in the Obukhiv region near Kyiv, 44-year-old Natalia Piven described how she and her son rushed to safety. When the air raid siren sounded, they squeezed into their cellar just in time. They narrowly avoided the first wave of deadly drones that struck soon after.
In a rush to escape, they ran to a bomb shelter at a local kindergarten. Just then, another wave of Russian drones attacked their village. The strike destroyed their home. A 28-year-old woman who lived next door died. The explosion also injured three others, including a four-year-old child, according to Ukrainian officials.
The sound of the drone was so clear. It was heading straight for my house, Piven told Reuters. I can’t shake the memory. It’s something I will never forget.
U.S. policy has recently shifted. There is now a growing tendency to align more closely with some of Moscow’s views on the war that began in 2022. At the same time, Ukraine and its European allies are sending a clear message. Russia’s drone attacks remain the main obstacle to any ceasefire.
In response to Trump’s proposal, Zelensky said he would accept a ceasefire lasting at least 30 days with no conditions. Meanwhile, Moscow said it would only agree if Ukraine and its allies meet certain demands. These include halting the supply of weapons.
Russia insists that any potential peace talks should address the core issues of the conflict. These include demands for Ukraine to give up territory, disarm, and adopt a neutral stance. Ukraine, however, argues that accepting these terms would leave the country vulnerable and unable to defend itself.
