Ukraine’s President Zelensky consults allies and heads to meet Trump after a major Russian attack on Kyiv, as Moscow claims new territorial gains
OTTAWA: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky consulted with allies on Saturday ahead of a critical meeting with US President Donald Trump. This came hours after Russia launched a major drone and missile attack on Kyiv.
During a stopover in Canada, Zelensky spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney and briefed EU, NATO and European leaders on a conference call. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the leaders gave Zelensky their “full support”.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said they welcomed “a just and lasting peace that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Zelensky said the Russian onslaught showed Moscow had no intention of ending its invasion.
“This attack is again, Russia’s answer on our peace efforts,” Zelensky said before meeting Carney. He added that the barrage proved Putin does not want peace.
Carney said the latest attack underscored the need to stand by Ukraine. “The barbarism that we saw overnight… shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine,” he stated.
Russia announced it had captured two more towns in eastern Ukraine, Myrnograd and Guliaipole. President Vladimir Putin said if Kyiv does not want a peaceful settlement, Russia would resolve issues “by military means”.
The overnight barrage on Kyiv lasted about 10 hours and killed two people. It wounded dozens and cut power and heating to more than a million residents during freezing temperatures.
Zelensky said some 500 drones and 40 missiles had pounded the capital and its surrounding region. “They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering,” he added.
Neighbouring Poland, a NATO member, scrambled jets and put air defences on alert during the attack. Sunday’s meeting in Florida is to focus on a new, 20-point plan that would freeze the war on its current front line.
The plan could require Ukraine to pull back troops from the east, allowing the creation of demilitarised buffer zones. It is Kyiv’s most explicit acknowledgement yet of possible territorial concessions.
Trump, speaking to Politico on Friday, said of Zelensky’s plan that “he doesn’t have anything until I approve it”. Part of the plan includes separate US-Ukraine bilateral agreements on security, reconstruction and the economy.
Zelensky said his meeting with Trump aimed to reduce unresolved issues to a minimum. “Of course, today there are red lines for Ukraine and Ukrainian people. There are compromise proposals,” he said on X.
He stated Ukraine needed more European and US support to acquire weapons and funds. “In particular for the production of weapons and, most importantly, drones,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s “most important consideration” in negotiations is that “security guarantees should be strong and we should be protected”. Zelensky said Ukraine is working with the US on a reconstruction roadmap requiring between $700 billion and $800 billion.
