Russian drones attack Ukraine after Kremlin turns down ceasefire proposal
Moscow has turned down a proposal for an unconditional 30-day truce.
Russia has launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in night-time attacks, the Ukrainian air force said, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
There was no response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s challenge for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week.
The United States and European governments have made a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians.
Russia’s invading forces have taken around one-fifth of Ukraine.
In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the US and European leaders but offered direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday.
Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept a ceasefire starting on Monday before holding peace talks.
Moscow effectively rejected that proposal and instead called for direct negotiations in Istanbul.
US President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine should accept the Russian offer. Mr Zelensky went a step further and put the pressure on Mr Putin by offering a personal meeting between the leaders.
In 2022, in the war’s early months, Mr Zelensky repeatedly called for a personal meeting with the Russian leader but was rebuffed, and eventually enacted a decree declaring that holding negotiations with Mr Putin had become impossible.
Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky have only met once, in 2019.
Mr Trump says “deep hatred” between the sides has made it difficult to push peace efforts forward.
