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Russia launched overnight drone attack on 29 locations in Ukraine
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President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the “next steps” for talks with the United States about post-war Ukraine have been agreed.
In a post to social media platform X on Saturday afternoon, Mr Zelensky said that he had had a call with president Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to catch-up about the third day of talks.
He will now wait for his Ukrainian negotiators, Rustem Umerov and General Hnatov, to return from Florida so they can work on “ideas and proposals”.
Earlier on Saturday, Mr Zelensky slammed Russia’s overnight drone attack on the country as “meaningless from a military point of view”, saying: “Russia’s aim is to inflict suffering on millions of Ukrainians”.
He said more than 650 drones and 51 missiles were used in the wide-spread bombardment, with energy facilities the main targets.
Ukraine’s air force said that they shot down and neutralised 585 drones and 30 missiles, adding that 29 locations were struck.
Volodymyr Zelensky visited wounded soldiers in Kyiv on Saturday and presented them with state awards.
The visit comes as Russian drones bombarded 29 locations across Ukraine overnight. Posting a statement on X, Mr Zelensky said: “I spoke with fighters currently undergoing treatment for severe injuries to their arms and legs.
“I am grateful to our defenders for their service and everything they have done for our country.”
Mr Zelensky will be in London on Monday for meetings with EU leaders.
French president Emmanuel Macron has said that EU leaders “must continue to put pressure on Russia to compel it toward peace” ahead of talks in London on Monday.
Posting on social media platform X, Mr Macron said “Russia is locking itself into an escalatory approach and is not seeking peace”.
He added: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the massive strikes that targeted Ukraine overnight, particularly its energy and railway infrastructure.”
Mr Macron said he would travel to London on Monday for talks with Ukrainian president Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer, and the German chancellor. He added: “Ukraine can count on our unwavering support.”
Europe has floated an unprecedented use of frozen Russian assets to raise some £80bn for Ukraine to cover its struggling military and put pressure on Putin to end the war, writes James C Reynolds.
The EU has been locked in talks for months about how to harness assets frozen in Europe. But caution continues to hold up delivery at a crucial time in diplomacy.
Belgium, which holds the majority of the assets, fears it could have to pay back everything on its own if Russia successfully challenges the plan. Its backing will depend on the EU sharing out responsibility.
Russia has already vowed to strike back with “the harshest reaction” against any “illegal action” by the EU around its frozen assets. It said on Thursday that it was already preparing a response.
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has issued a call to US president Donald Trump to not abandon Europe as an ally.
In a post on social media on Saturday afternoon, Mr Tusk wrote: “Dear American friends, Europe is your closest ally, not your problem. And we have common enemies. At least that’s how it has been in the last 80 years.
“We need to stick to this, this is the only reasonable strategy of our common security. Unless something has changed”.
His comments come after a new White House National Security Strategy spelt out president Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda.
The 33-page document says that American strategy has gone “astray” over many years and said that Europe faces “civilizational erasure” and could be “unrecognisable in 20 years or less”.
The document attributes this to mass migration to Europe, adding: “As such, it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies”.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he has agreed the “next steps and formats for talks with the United States” as his negotiators finish their third day of discussions with Team Trump in Florida.
Posting on social media platform X, he added: “I am now awaiting Rustem Umerov and General Hnatov with a detailed in person report. Not everything can be discussed over the phone, so we need to work closely with our teams on ideas and proposals.
“Our approach is that everything must be workable – every crucial measure for peace, security, and reconstruction”.
The statement comes ahead of Mr Zelensky’s visit to London to meet EU leaders on Monday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has had a “long and substantive” phone call with president Donald Trump’s negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Ukrainian negotiators, Andrii Hnatov and Rustem Umerov, who are in Florida for the peace talks were also on the call. In a post to X, Mr Zelensky said: “I am grateful for a very focused, constructive discussion.
“We covered many aspects and went through key points that could ensure an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a new Russian full scale invasion”.
He thanked Mr Trump for “such an intensive approach to negotiations”.
Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, after US and Ukrainian officials said they’ll meet for a third day of talks on Saturday.
Russia used 653 drones and 51 missiles in the wide-reaching attack, which triggered air raid alerts across the country and came as Ukraine marked Armed Forces Day, the country’s air force said Saturday morning.
Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air force said, adding that 29 locations were struck.
At least three people were wounded in the Kyiv region, according to local officials. Drone sightings were reported as far west as Ukraine’s Lviv region.
Russia carried out a “massive missile-drone attack” on power stations and other energy infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions, Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, wrote on Telegram.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s plane was followed by four military-style drones before it landed at Dublin airport on Monday, according to a report.
Sources told The Journal that the drones took off from a location in the northeast of the Irish capital and flew towards the flight path of the Ukrainian president in breach of a no-fly zone, writes James C Reynolds.
Gardaí are investigating the incident but have not yet been able to confirm where the drones came from or who may have been controlling them.
They are trying to establish whether the drones took off from land or an undetected ship, slipping past radars.
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The Swedish navy is encountering Russian submarines in the Baltic sea “almost weekly”, according to the chief of operations.
Captain Marko Petkovic has said that Russia is “continuously reinforcing” its presence in the region, adding that sightings of submarines have now become “very common”.
He added that increased Nato vigilance has helped protect crucial undersea cables in the region. He was quoted by The Guardian as saying: “It shows that the alliance works, cohesion. And we are closing ranks against one particular threat. The Baltic Sentry has proven that point. Regardless of whether any of the incidents have been state-sponsored or if it’s been bad seamanship, or anything in between, it has raised awareness amongst the merchant fleet that they should be a bit more cautious when travelling our regional waters”.
Sir Keir Starmer will meet Volodymyr Zelensky along with the French and German leaders in Downing Street on Monday as discussions on ending the war in Ukraine continue, writes Christopher McKeon.
The Prime Minister will use the meeting with Mr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to show the UK’s support for Ukraine.
They will also discuss the ongoing talks between US and Ukrainian officials aimed at finding an agreement on guaranteeing Ukraine’s post-war security.
Almost two weeks ago the four men took part in a virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” convened by Sir Keir and Mr Macron to provide a European peacekeeping force that can be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
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