Peace Negotiations -- Over to You, Putin

"[The] only way to reopen a window of opportunity for diplomacy is through tough measures against all those bankrolling the Russian army and effective sanctions against Moscow itself – banking and energy sanctions."

"It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks."

"This war won’t stop with political statements alone; real steps are needed. We expect action from the U.S., Europe, and the entire world."

"Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions." 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 

 

"It’s inhuman, striking civilians."

"With every cell of my body I want this war to end as soon as possible. I wait, but every time the air raid alarm sounds, I am afraid."

Oleksandr Khilko, Kyiv resident 

 

"You never think it will be your house that's hit. These attacks are very cruel. They happen at a time when people are sleeping and you are unable to get your bearings."

"And they are attacking with everything all together - missiles and Shaheds  [drones]."

"They all attack at the same time. It's just impossible to live like this."

Iryna Kutsenko, Kyiv resident  

Kyiv hit by 'massive' Russian missile and drone attack, killing 18: Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine came under a major combined missile and drone attack overnight into Thursday. ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge

 

 A major air attack was once again launched by Moscow early Thursday, hitting Kyiv, including a rare strike on the centre of the city. 48 people were wounded, and 18 killed. European Union diplomatic offices were also hit and damaged. This was the first major Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital in weeks, as the bombardment of drones and missiles hit, even as U.S.-led peace efforts are ongoing in the hopes of ending the three-year war, without gaining any traction.

 

While Ukraine is anxious for a ceasefire leading to a swift conclusion of the conflict, Vladimir Putin plays the innocent peace-seeker to mollify U.S. President Donald Trump, although there is no way to conceal the reality of Putin's determination to grind on while lending himself to the fantasy of peace, as a shield to the reality of Russia's goal to acquire more Ukrainian territory in the interim. 

 

And while Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will never agree as part of the peace process to accede to Moscow's demands of foregoing Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia, it will represent another nail in his coffin to bring U.S. President Trump to abandon Putin and support Ukraine.

 

The drone and missile bombardment represents Putin's contempt for Trump's mission to secure a peace 'deal', in the hopes of recognition that will lead to the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. These ongoing attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine sabotage any peace efforts and do so with that end in mind. Ukraine urgently requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the overnight bombardment, and much good will that do, with Russia sitting on said Council.

 

The Kremlin expresses itself dedicated to ongoing peace talks to placate the American president's fixation on representing himself as a peacemaker extraordinaire. The evidence is front and centre this is all a sham considering Thursday's air attack, one of the largest since 2022. What also distinguishes this attack is its penetration deep into Ukraine, with Russian drones and missiles hitting the heart of Kyiv.

 

Russia launched 598 strike drones and decoys, along with 31 missiles of various kinds across the country early Thursday, most of them directly targeting Kyiv. Some 33 locations across ten of the city's districts were  hit directly, or damaged by falling debris as thousands of windows shattered and close to 100 buildings sustained damage, including a city centre shopping mall.

 

Firefighters tackled blazes in Zaporizhzia in the early hours of Saturday morning.  Photo State Emergency Service of Ukraine

 

Two strikes landed 20 seconds apart, some 50 metres from the EU Mission to Ukraine building in Kyiv, according to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen; fortunately no staff were injured. "In response, we are summoning the Russian envoy in Brussels", stated the European Union's top diplomatic, Kaja Kallas.

 

Western leaders point out the obvious, that Vladimir Putin is dragging out peace efforts, avoiding serious negotiations, allowing time for Russian troops to advance their positions in Ukraine. Ukrainian military leaders conceded this week that Russian forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine in their aspirations to capture more ground. 

 

After temporarily criticizing Putin for stalling on a proposal by the U.S. for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy, Trump decided last Friday he expects to decide in two weeks on what possible steps can be taken to further direct talks if they continue to languish without scheduling. As for Zelenskyy, he still holds out hope for the U.S. to exact harsher sanctions to cripple the Russian economy should Putin not demonstrate an intention to end the war. 

 

A photo from Ukraine's emergency and rescue service shows a devastated block of flats. DSNS Ukraine