{"id":194869,"date":"2025-12-28T07:10:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T07:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/kyiv-strikes-are-russias-answer-to-peace-zelensky-says-ahead-of-florida-talks-with-trump-bbc\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T07:10:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T07:10:56","slug":"kyiv-strikes-are-russias-answer-to-peace-zelensky-says-ahead-of-florida-talks-with-trump-bbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/kyiv-strikes-are-russias-answer-to-peace-zelensky-says-ahead-of-florida-talks-with-trump-bbc\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyiv strikes are Russia's 'answer to peace', Zelensky says ahead of Florida talks with Trump – BBC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says last night's strikes on Kyiv are "Russia's answer to our peace efforts"<\/a> as he says more pressure on Moscow is needed to secure an end to the war
The Ukrainian capital was hit by a fresh wave of Russian missiles and drones, killing at least two people and injuring 32 others<\/a>, according to the authorities
Zelensky is in Canada today ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss the latest proposal to end the war with Russia
He is holding a call with European partners alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney before what he hopes will be a "constructive meeting" with Trump
A lot hinges on a meeting between Zelensky and Trump tomorrow, including whether what the former has to say is enough to get Trump on board<\/i>, writes the BBC's Samira Hussain<\/a>
This video can not be played
'I was in the lift when it happened': BBC journalist's Kyiv home hit
Edited by Rorey Bosotti, with Mohamed Madi and Samira Hussain reporting from Kyiv
Last night was a sleepless one for Ukrainians in the capital city of Kyiv, who faced an almost 10-hour bombardment <\/a>of Russian drones and missiles that lasted into the morning.
It was the latest in a string of Christmas-time strikes <\/a>by Russia. Ukraine said that almost 500 drones and 40 missiles were launched towards Kyiv – leaving at least two dead and 32 others injured.
As about a third of the city grapples with a loss of electricity<\/a> from the strikes – in freezing winter temperatures – one resident says that her life is like "a lottery – will it hit or not"<\/a>. And a BBC journalist describes the "awful" moment her building was struck <\/a>as she was in the lift. That's the situation on the ground.
In the air, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is travelling to Florida for peace talks with the US on Sunday.
During a brief pit stop in Canada <\/a>– where he clinched an additional $2.5bn of aid from its prime minister -Zelensky said he hoped for a "constructive meeting" with US President Donald Trump.
Up for discussion is a revised US-Ukrainian 20-point peace plan<\/a> that includes a potential proposal to turn the Donbas – one of the stickiest negotiating points<\/a> – into a "free economic zone".
Elsewhere, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine is "not in a hurry" to end the war<\/a>, and threatened more force to do so.
As our correspondent in Kyiv Samira Hussain writes, a lot hinges on tomorrow's meeting<\/a> – including whether what Zelensky has to say is enough to get Trump on board.
We'll be pausing our coverage shortly but you can follow the latest development in our story<\/a>.
\"\"<\/span><\/span>Sean Dilley<\/strong>
North America Correspondent, in Washington<\/span>
President Trump and his team are likely to be watching closely as European leaders and Canada\u2019s PM Mark Carney back Ukraine.<\/a>
Presidents Trump and Zelensky are due to meet for face-to-face talks in Florida tomorrow with the future of land in the Donbas region<\/a> and security guarantees likely to feature highly.
The meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders reflects the reality that Donald Trump is widely seen as the man who could broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow – and it\u2019s a significant moment as recent US negotiations have been conducted by senior officials.
Tomorrow\u2019s meeting though is likely to be rougher than tonight\u2019s call between President Zelensky and European leaders.
Trump has repeatedly refused to take sides and he\u2019s expressed his concerns that Ukrainian elections that were due in May 2024 have been suspended. President Zelensky has said elections could take place within 90 days<\/a> if the security of the process could be guaranteed.
Zelensky says he\u2019s happy with 90% of the current proposals but Russia recently said elements remained unacceptable.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he can see that Ukraine's leaders "are not in a hurry" to end the war using peaceful means.
He also says that if Kyiv is "unwilling to resolve this [conflict] peacefully" then Russia will resolve it "through a special military operation by force".
The comments were made while the Russian premier was visiting an unspecified military command post.
We can now bring you more from Kyiv residents following the latest onslaught of Russian drones and missiles targeting the Ukrainian capital.
Taisiia Vysoka, 62, tells Reuters the strikes damaged her flat: "Everything is cracked here. All the hinges popped out". While the water supply was partially restored, she says there is no heating.
"We live as if in a lottery – will it hit or will it not?" Taisiia says. "I can't take it anymore… Something has to be done."
Her husband Oleksandr says he hopes peace negotiations will take Ukrainian interests into account.
"We cannot reduce our military and our armed forces, because we all understand that the aggressor will not stop," he says.
As we've been reporting<\/a>, Zelensky has detailed some points earlier this week of an updated peace plan drafted by US and Ukrainian envoys. But there are still some obstacles to overcome.
Territory has been an impasse in peace negotiations so far, particularly when it comes to an area called Donbas.
What is Donbas? <\/b>
Located in eastern Ukraine, it's made up of two regions – or oblasts – called Luhansk and Donetsk.
It's on the front line of the conflict. Russia has been trying to get full control of the area, and currently holds more than three quarters<\/a> of the area.
A log jam in peace talks<\/b>
In our last post, the BBC's Samira Hussain said the possibility of a referendum and elections in Ukraine are also key questions Volodymyr Zelensky is facing<\/a> as he works on securing a peace deal with Russia.
Earlier this week, Zelensky insisted that a referendum<\/b> would need to be held in Ukraine before a peace deal is finalised – especially if territorial concessions are included in the agreement.
The establishment of an economic zone in the Donbas region could be part of an eventual peace plan – but this is an idea that would also require a referendum under the Ukrainian constitution.
Elections<\/b> have also been a point of contention since the start of the war.
Zelensky was first elected to the position of president in 2019. His five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended since martial law was declared after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
After Donald Trump repeated claims that Kyiv is "using war" to avoid holding a vote on its leader, Zelensky has said Ukraine is "ready for elections" if it gets security guarantees in a peace deal.
Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Zelensky said elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies.
\"\"<\/span><\/span>Samira Hussain<\/strong>
Reporting from Kyiv<\/span>
Volodymyr Zelensky is bringing a message to Donald Trump: that Ukraine is absolutely interested in peace, and that he has 90% of a ready plan.
But he takes that plan to the US as Russia continues to send a barrage of drones and missiles to Ukraine.
A lot hinges on a meeting between Zelensky and Trump tomorrow, including whether what the former has to say is enough to get Trump on board.
Remember, Trump has made it very clear that he is the ultimate arbiter of peace between Russia and Ukraine.
There are a few things Zelensky wants to discuss, including security guarantees and territorial concessions.
There is still no real reaction to the proposal to have either a demilitarised zone in the Donbas region, or a free economic zone. That would require both Russia and Ukraine to withdraw.
Rehabilitation for Ukraine is also up for discussion at the meeting, including what that might look like. And finally, there's the question of a referendum and eventual elections.
Zelensky thanks Carney for his support. He says overnight strikes are "again Russia\u2019s answer [to] our peace efforts and this really shows that Putin doesn\u2019t want peace".
Zelensky adds that two things are needed to stop the war: "pressure on Russia" and "sufficient, strong support for Ukraine". He adds that while recent steps have been made, further diplomacy is needed.
He says he will speak with European allies later today and hopes to have a "very important" and "very constructive" meeting with Trump tomorrow.
We're now bringing you live comments between Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who he's meeting in Nova Scotia ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump.
Carney starts by welcoming Zelensky to Canada, saying that under the Ukrainian President's leadership "we have the conditions and possibility for a just and lasting peace".
"But that requires a willing Russia," he says.
The attacks overnight on Kyiv show "just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine" and that "we create the conditions" for peace.
Carney then announces further economic assistance for Ukraine: $2.5bn to help the process of rebuilding.
Following the overnight strikes, 50,000 homes are without electricity in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's largest energy company says.
Russia caused "serious damage" to the region's energy infrastructure, says DTEK Group in an update on Telegram.
It adds that its crews are "working non-stop" to restore electricity to all homes.
This follows comments from the head of Ukraine's national oil and gas company, Naftogaz, saying that Russia had hit its production facilities.
CEO Sergii Koretskyi had accused Russia of "trying to exploit the freezing weather", saying that "it is clear that these attacks are synchronized with the drop in temperatures".
The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has just provided an update on social media about the number of people injured in the Russian drone attack on the region.
Klitschko says that 32 people have been injured, and of those people 11 are in hospital being treated.
Clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces have continued throughout the day, with Ukrainian officials reporting 62 since the start of the morning.
"Border settlements, in particular Rogizne, Ulanov, and Hirky in the Sumy region, are suffering from artillery shelling," the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces writes on the messaging app Telegram.
It also describes a series of "combat clashes", including several which are "ongoing". It says Ukrainian forces stopped Russian forces from advancing in some areas on the front line.
Earlier, Russia's defence ministry said it had shot down 111 Ukrainian drones this afternoon between 15:00 and 18:00 Moscow time (12:00 – 15:00 GMT) today. It said 73 were shot down over the Bryansk region, while eight were destroyed over Moscow.
A Ukrainian soldier loading a shell into a rocket launcher on 25 December
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky's upcoming meeting in Florida is the latest in a series of diplomatic efforts involving the US and Ukraine's European allies aimed at ending the war. Let's take a look at the most recent.
28-point peace plan<\/b>
In November, details of a US-backed 28-point peace plan<\/a> emerged. This was widely seen as favourable to Russia, requiring Ukraine to concede territory, reduce the size of its army, and pledge not to join Nato.
Zelensky said his country risked either losing its dignity, or losing US support. European allies criticised the plan.
Geneva talks<\/b>
Talks followed in Geneva on 23 November, with delegations sent by the US, Ukraine and its European allies. Details of a European counter-proposal with terms more favourable to Ukraine were widely reported, although the BBC could not independently verify them.
Russia-US talks<\/b>
Talks between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff at the start of December failed to produce a breakthrough<\/a>. A Kremlin spokesman said the Moscow meeting was "constructive", but parts of the plan remained unacceptable to Russia.
US-Ukraine talks<\/b>
This was followed by three days of talks in Miami between Zelensky's chief negotiator Rustem Umerov and his US counterparts.
Shortly afterwards, Trump accused Zelensky of not having read the revised draft plan, but Zelensky said he was waiting to be briefed by his negotiators "in person".
Berlin talks<\/b>
In mid-December, the US said it was ready to offer Ukraine Nato-like security guarantees<\/a> to safeguard an eventual ceasefire, following talks in Berlin.
Zelensky signalled for the first time that as a "compromise" he would give up ambitions to join Nato in exchange for strong guarantees.
20-point plan<\/b>
Shortly before Christmas, US and Ukrainian envoys said three days of talks in Miami<\/a> aimed at ending the war with Russia had been "productive and constructive".
Witkoff and Umerov said the meeting focused on aligning positions on a 20-point plan – seen as an update of the original 28-point document.
Territorial issues are central to ongoing negotiations brokered by the US to end the war in Ukraine. So what's the situation on the ground?
In eastern Ukraine, Moscow's forces have been churning mile by mile through the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk – collectively known as Donbas – surrounding and overwhelming towns and villages.
Russia has been trying to gain full control of the area alongside two more regions to the west, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Shortly after the 2022 invasion, Moscow held referendums to try to annexe all these regions in the same way it did Crimea in 2014, but its forces have never had them under full control.
In the past week, Kyiv has said its troops have withdrawn from the embattled eastern town of Siversk – bringing the Russians closer to the last \u201cfortress belt\u201d cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region.
In another statement posted on Telegram, Zelensky says Ukraine is working with the US on a recovery roadmap to 2040.
It will focus on the return of refugees, economic prosperity including new jobs, and accession to the European Union, he says.
Zelensky adds: "We estimate that we need somewhere around 700-800 billion for reconstruction".
He says it is "important" that Ukraine has a "common vision" with the US, and references the creation of "several funds", including a reconstruction investment fund involving both countries.
Zelensky and Trump during a previous White House meeting in August
We've just seen a series of new statements from Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of his peace talks with Donald Trump in Florida.<\/a>
Security guarantees are "the most important thing" he says, and they should be "strong, and we be protected".
He says that "today Russia has demonstrated how it responds" to attempts by the US and Ukraine to negotiate peace by attacking Ukraine.<\/a>
Talks need to ensure unresolved issues are kept at a minimum, Zelensky says. "Of course, there are red lines for Ukraine" he says, but adds that there are "compromise proposals".
He adds a call for additional weapons from Europe: "We need more missiles because Russia is attacking more".
Images are continuing to come into us from Kyiv, where emergency services are working to clear up sites across the region that have been hit by Russian drone attacks.
The engine of a Russian drone is removed by Ukrainian policemen
Debris from a Russian drone is inspected by military personnel
Emergency services in Kyiv say both residential and industrial sites have been hit
After the overnight strikes on Kyiv, Russia's defence ministry says it carried out "a massive strike" on the Ukrainian military's "infrastructure facilities".
"The targets of the strike have been achieved. All designated objects have been hit," it says in a social media update.
The defence ministry says it used "high-precision long-range ground, air, and sea-based weapons" in the attack.
As we've been reporting, the Ukrainian capital rose this morning to damaged residential buildings and energy infrastructure. At least two people are known to have been killed<\/a> and dozens injured, Kyiv authorities say.
Rescue operations are under way after deadly overnight strikes on Kyiv
Tusk (right) and Zelensky met in Poland or talks just over a week ago
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk says he'll be one of the European leaders joining a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this afternoon.
In a post on social media, he says also joining the call to discuss the "prospects for peace" are the leaders of France, Germany, the UK, Italy and the EU – ahead of Zelensky's meeting with Trump in Florida on Sunday.
As a reminder these leaders form part of the so-called coalition of the willing, a group of countries that have pledged to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Speaking about the overnight attacks on Kyiv, Tusk adds: "Contrary to President Trump's expectations and despite [Zelensky's] readiness to make concessions, Russia has once again brutally attacked Kyiv's residential district."
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