Russia Strikes Ukraine Ahead Of Planned US-Ukrainian Talks In Geneva

"Dozens of people are known to have been injured as a result of this attack, including children. Russia fired 420 drones and 39 missiles, also hitting gas infrastructure and electrical substations. The overnight attacks came hours before the Geneva talks, expected to center on a prosperity package designed for Ukraine's economic recovery, while laying the groundwork for a potential trilateral summit with Russia."

"The United Nations isn't going to do it. France isn't going to do it. The EU isn't going to do it. The Russians won't even speak to them. So we don't want to walk away from -- we know that, at the end, that war in Ukraine does not have a military solution. If we forfeit that role, no one else can do it."

"We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders' level. Trump supports this sequence of steps. A direct leaders' summit is the only way to achieve lasting peace and resolve the conflict comprehensively."

Russian forces conducted a massive overnight attack on multiple Ukrainian regions, firing 420 drones and 39 missiles that damaged residential buildings, gas infrastructure, and electrical substations, injuring dozens including children. The assault occurred hours before scheduled talks in Geneva between Ukrainian National Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and US officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The discussions aim to address a prosperity package for Ukraine's economic recovery and establish groundwork for potential trilateral negotiations involving Russia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that only Washington can effectively drive negotiations to end the war, as other international actors lack Russia's engagement. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed hope that the meeting would elevate talks to the leaders' level, with Trump's support for this diplomatic sequence.

Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty