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President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the violence by refusing to consider territorial concessions, particularly Crimea, in ongoing peace discussions with Russia. Zelenskyy, speaking a day earlier, firmly rejected the idea of giving up any Ukrainian land as part of a deal. “There is nothing to negotiate — this is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” he stated ahead of planned talks in London involving U.S., European, and Ukrainian representatives. In previous negotiations held in Paris last week, U.S. officials reportedly floated a peace proposal that would allow Russia to retain control of some occupied Ukrainian territories, according to a European source with knowledge of the discussions. The source, who spoke anonymously due to not being authorized to speak publicly, shared the controversial detail.   Trump called Zelenkyy’s pushback “very harmful” to talks. “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces. Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine’s leader can have peace or “he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” adding that Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!” ‘A very fair proposal’ Wednesday’s meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth. “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to India. He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details. Trump, who is set to travel to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, told reporters later on Wednesday that he did not know if he would meet with Zelenskyy or other European leaders to discuss the war while in Italy. He also said that has found dealing with Zelenskyy harder than dealing with the Russians. Trump who is set to travel to the Middle East next month said it was “possible” that he could meet with Putin while in Saudi Arabia, but that it is more likely he will meet with the Russian leader soon after that trip. A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal the United States calls “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed. When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day. “We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the U.S. tabled six weeks ago. Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum. Doubts over negotiations U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the talks in London to find an end to the more than three-year war would involve only lower-ranking officials, after the U.S. State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unable to attend because of a scheduling issue. Rubio’s abrupt cancellation raised doubts about the direction of negotiations. He had indicated that Wednesday’s meeting could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration remains engaged.        

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of staging a false impression of an Easter ceasefire, despite continued military aggression across the front line. Speaking on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russian forces were still launching attacks even after President Vladimir Putin had publicly announced a unilateral truce for the holiday. "On Easter morning, it's clear the Russian army is trying to project an image of a ceasefire," Zelenskyy posted on X. "But in reality, they continue attempts to advance and inflict losses." Ukrainian forces recorded at least 59 shelling incidents and five assaults by Russian units, along with dozens of drone strikes, all taking place after Putin’s ceasefire declaration. Zelenskyy added that, although Ukraine reciprocated the ceasefire gesture, Russia has ramped up the use of heavy weaponry. He did, however, note that Easter morning passed without air raid sirens—an unusual and welcome pause. In one particularly deadly incident, several Ukrainian troops were killed in an ambush in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy vowed that the Russian soldiers responsible would be “eliminated.” Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed Ukrainian forces launched overnight attacks in the Donetsk area and flew 48 drones into Russian territory, causing civilian casualties. The ministry insisted Russian troops were fully observing the ceasefire. In Kherson, a Russian-occupied region in southern Ukraine, Moscow-installed officials also accused Ukraine of continuing attacks. Zelenskyy says Putin's vow on Ukraine's energy infrastructure unrealistic Zelenskyy called for Russia to honor the ceasefire in full and reiterated Ukraine’s offer to extend the truce for an additional 30 days beyond its scheduled end at midnight Sunday. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, there has been no response from Moscow. “Either Putin lacks control over his army, or Russia simply doesn’t intend to end the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This is just a PR stunt.” Just hours after announcing the ceasefire, President Putin attended an Easter service in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, led by Patriarch Kirill—a vocal supporter of the war. Putin gave no specifics on how the ceasefire would be enforced, nor whether it included airstrikes or ground operations. His announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump commented that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head,” and said both sides were taking negotiations seriously. The U.S. State Department on Sunday reaffirmed its support for “a full and comprehensive ceasefire.” Officials highlighted recent peace discussions in Paris and confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared encouraging developments in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin's promise not to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure was "very much at odds with reality" following a series of drone strikes across the country overnight. Just before Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian leader expressed his anticipation to hear more about Trump's recent phone call with Putin regarding a potential limited ceasefire and discuss subsequent steps. Tens of thousands rally in Rome in support of Europe amid defense spending debate "Even last night, after Putin's conversation with Trump, when Putin claimed to have ordered a halt to strikes on Ukrainian energy, 150 drones were launched, including on energy facilities," Zelenskyy said during a press conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Russia responded by claiming it had stopped targeting Ukraine’s energy facilities and accused Kyiv of attacking equipment near one of its pipelines. “We unfortunately see that there is no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Despite Putin’s refusal to agree to a full 30-day ceasefire in discussions with Trump, he pledged to immediately halt attacks on Ukraine’s power grid. The White House described the call between Trump and Putin as the first step toward a "movement to peace," with hopes for a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full end to the conflict. However, there was no sign that Putin had softened his stance on the conditions for peace, which are strongly opposed by Kyiv. The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, stated that Putin's demands during the call amounted to “Ukrainian capitulation.” “Putin is attempting to hold the temporary ceasefire proposal hostage to extract preemptive concessions before formal peace talks,” the Institute said in an analysis of the call. Stubb called the talks between Trump and Putin a positive development but emphasized that Russia needed to end its aggression. "There are only two ways to respond to the U.S. president's proposal: yes or no—no buts, no conditions," Stubb said. “Ukraine accepted a ceasefire without any conditions. If Russia refuses, we must increase our support for Ukraine and intensify pressure on Russia to return to the negotiating table.” White House national security adviser Mike Waltz stated on social media that he and his Russian counterpart, Yuri Ushakov, agreed on a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire secured by Trump. It was unclear who would attend the talks in Riyadh or if Ukrainian officials would be involved. Following the lengthy phone conversation between Trump and Putin on Tuesday, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, followed by explosions as residents sought shelter. Despite efforts to defend against the attack, several strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including two hospitals, a railway, and over 20 houses, according to Zelenskyy. Russian drones were reported over Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its military launched seven drones at power facilities in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region, but these were shot down after receiving Putin’s order to avoid targeting energy infrastructure. Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting its energy facility in the Krasnodar region, bordering the Crimean Peninsula, hours after the Putin-Trump talks. The ministry said three drones targeted oil transfer equipment, causing a fire and loss of pressure in one oil tank. "It is clear that this is another provocation fabricated by Kyiv to sabotage President Trump’s peace initiatives," the ministry stated. Russia and Ukraine trade overnight aerial attacks after Putin sets out conditions for ceasefire Russia also claimed its air defences intercepted 57 Ukrainian drones over the Azov Sea and various Russian regions, including Kursk, Bryansk, Oryol, and Tula. Zelenskyy stated that "words of a ceasefire" were not enough. "If the Russians don’t hit our facilities, we certainly won’t hit theirs," he said. Zelenskyy rejected Putin’s key condition that Western nations halt military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine. He argued that such an action would endanger lives by leaving citizens unaware of incoming airstrikes and prolong the war. “I don’t think anyone should make concessions in helping Ukraine; instead, aid to Ukraine should be increased,” Zelenskyy said. “This would signal that Ukraine is ready for any surprises from Russia.” Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, called Putin’s rejection of the ceasefire unsurprising, noting that it was unwise for Putin to express it directly to President Trump, who has made ending the war a top priority. “What we now have is a rivalry between Kyiv and Moscow to persuade Trump that the other side is preventing him from achieving his goal of ending the war,” Gould-Davies said. Zelenskyy noted that one of the most challenging issues in future negotiations would be territorial concessions. "For us, the red line is recognizing the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian," he said. “We will not agree to that.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House on Friday without signing a key minerals agreement after a tense confrontation with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The unexpected fallout from the meeting has raised concerns about its impact on global affairs. Zelenskyy had been expected to finalize a deal granting the U.S. increased access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and participate in a joint press conference with Trump. However, plans unraveled after a heated exchange between the leaders, which played out in front of the media. The implications of the disagreement on the minerals deal remain uncertain. Trump had stressed that the agreement was crucial to repaying the U.S. for over $180 billion in aid sent to Kyiv since the onset of the war. It is also unclear what steps Trump expects Zelenskyy to take to get the deal back on track. Zelenskyy: Ukraine-US economic deal ready, security unclear Following the dispute, Trump’s top advisers asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House. The confrontation escalated when Trump accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” and warned, “You’re gambling with World War III.” He criticized the Ukrainian leader for failing to show sufficient gratitude for America’s support. Trump warns Zelenskyy to quickly negotiate war's end with Russia or risk not having a nation to lead During the nearly 45-minute meeting, tensions escalated in the final 10 minutes, particularly after Vice President JD Vance confronted Zelenskyy about his skepticism regarding Russia’s commitment to diplomacy. Zelenskyy had highlighted Russia’s repeated violations of ceasefire agreements, arguing that President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted. Trump countered by asserting that Putin had never broken agreements with him. Vance further criticized Zelenskyy for raising concerns about Putin in front of American media. As Zelenskyy attempted to respond, Trump raised his voice, declaring, “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.” He also positioned himself as neutral in the war, claiming that Zelenskyy’s deep distrust of Putin was an obstacle to achieving peace. Shortly after the meeting, Trump told reporters he sought an “immediate ceasefire” but questioned whether Zelenskyy was truly committed to peace. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News, acknowledging that the confrontation was “not good for both sides.” He emphasized that Ukraine could not abruptly change its stance on Russia and insisted that any peace negotiations must come with security guarantees against future Russian aggression. In a social media post following the meeting, Trump declared that Zelenskyy was “not ready for peace” and had “disrespected the United States” in the Oval Office. He suggested that Zelenskyy could return only when he was prepared to negotiate peace. Democratic leaders swiftly criticized the administration for the diplomatic breakdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump and Vance of “doing Putin’s dirty work.” The contentious exchange was particularly striking given Trump’s recent remarks describing U.S. support for Ukraine as a “worthy cause.” Initially, the meeting had started on a cordial note, with both leaders speaking positively about each other. However, when Zelenskyy raised concerns about trusting Russia, Vance rebuked him for addressing such disagreements publicly. The tone of the conversation quickly shifted, with Trump and Vance portraying Zelenskyy as ungrateful. Trump warned that such an attitude could affect future American support, while Vance urged Zelenskyy to “just say thank you.” After leaving the White House, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the American people on social media, thanking them for their continued support. However, White House officials reportedly viewed his body language and remarks as “hostile.” Trump was particularly displeased when Zelenskyy brought up security guarantees, as Trump had intended to focus solely on the minerals deal. Former officials noted that while President Joe Biden had also been frustrated with Zelenskyy at times, he had kept such criticisms private—unlike Trump, who made his displeasure public. At one point during the tense discussion, Trump warned Zelenskyy, “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now.” Before the meeting concluded, he remarked, “This is going to be great television.” As Ukraine continues to resist Russian advances, Kyiv remains determined to secure security guarantees in any potential peace deal. Many Ukrainians fear that a rushed agreement with excessive concessions to Moscow could allow Russia to regroup and launch future offensives. Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed doubt about whether relations between Trump and Zelenskyy could be repaired, saying, “I don’t know if you can ever do a deal with Zelenskyy anymore.” The contentious meeting also heightened concerns that Trump could negotiate a peace deal favoring Russia. His administration has already engaged in direct talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian representatives—an unprecedented move that breaks from past U.S. policy. Following the Oval Office fallout, European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Zelenskyy’s resilience, stating, “His dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people.” Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed an urgent summit between the U.S. and European allies to discuss the future of Western unity and its approach to the Ukraine crisis. “A divided West weakens all of us and benefits those who seek our downfall,” Meloni warned.       

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will again call on allies to boost its air defenses at this week's meeting in Germany, as US President-elect Donald Trump takes over later this month with a vow to end the almost three-year war quickly. Zelenskyy said that dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting of the Ramstein group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, “including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation.” “We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Saturday. “The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense.” Trump appears with Italian Prime Minister Meloni at his Florida club US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting. Biden was originally scheduled to attend the October summit in Ramstein but it was postponed because of response to Hurricane Milton that battered the US. In its last few weeks in office, the Biden administration was pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump is sworn in January 20. Trump claimed during his election campaign that he could end the war in one day and his comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraine’s biggest — and most important — military backer. Zelenskyy said last week that Trump is "strong and unpredictable,” and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, and capitalized last year on weaknesses in Ukraine’s defenses to slowly advance in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The war’s trajectory isn’t in Ukraine’s favor. The country is shorthanded on the front line and needs continued support from its Western partners. Zelenskyy said Saturday that Russian and North Korean troops had suffered heavy losses in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. “In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in the Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroopers,” Zelenskyy said. “This is significant.” Trump's strength and unpredictability can help end the war with Russia: Zelenskyy Zelenskyy said last month that 3,000 North Korean troops had been killed and wounded in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August, dealing a blow to Russia’s prestige and forcing it to deploy some of its troops from a slow-moving offensive in eastern Ukraine. The incursion didn’t significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost around 40% of the land it initially captured. In other developments, nine people were wounded in a Russian guided bomb attack on the border town of Semenivka in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region on Saturday evening, local officials said. Moscow sent 103 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s air force, 61 drones were destroyed and 42 were lost likely due to electronic jamming. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 61 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in five regions of western Russia. No casualties were reported but Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar said residential buildings and cars had been damaged by falling drone debris.

US President-elect Donald Trump is “strong and unpredictable,” and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, Zelenskyy said it won’t be possible to end the almost three years of war in one day, as Trump claimed during his election campaign he could do. “The ‘hot’ stage of the war can end quite quickly, if Trump is strong in his position,” Zelensky said in a Ukrainian television interview late Thursday, referring to fighting on the battlefield. “I believe (Trump) is strong and unpredictable. I would very much like President Trump’s unpredictability to be directed primarily toward the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, hasn’t publicly fleshed out his policy on Ukraine but his previous comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraine’s biggest — and most important — military backer. Zelenskyy is eager to guarantee that Washington’s support keeps coming, and he met with Trump in New York even before last November’s U.S. presidential election. With the war about to enter its fourth year next month, and with Trump coming to power, the question of how and when Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II might end has come to the fore. 2 dead and 18 injured in Southern California plane crash Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine and last year capitalized on weaknesses in Ukraine’s defenses to slowly advance in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The war’s trajectory is not in Ukraine’s favor. The country is short-handed on the front line and needs continued support from its Western partners. Trump responded favorably to the possibility raised by French President Emmanuel Macron of Western peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine to oversee an agreement that stops the fighting, Zelenskyy said. He met with Trump and Macron in Paris last month. “But I raised an issue, saying we didn’t hear what specific countries will join this initiative, and whether the US will be there,” Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader is determined for his country to become a NATO member. The alliance’s 32 member countries say Ukraine will join one day, but not until the war ends. “The deployment of European troops (to keep the peace in Ukraine) should not rule out Ukraine’s future in NATO,” Zelenskyy said in the television interview. Zelenskyy described the incursion by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s Kursk border region as a “very strong trump card” in any future peace negotiations. In a bid to counter glum news from the front line, Ukraine seized part of Kursk last August in what was the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II. US restricts Russian and Iranian groups over disinformation targeting American voters But the incursion didn’t significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost some 40% of the land it initially captured. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy said the achievement impressed countries in Asia, South America and Africa and tarnished Russia’s military reputation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday his government has intelligence information that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country, warning that a third nation wading into the hostilities would turn the conflict into a “world war.” Zelenskyy did not go into detail about the claim that came a day after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said that Washington and its allies are alarmed by North Korea's military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine but couldn’t confirm Ukrainian claims that soldiers were sent to fight for Moscow. “From our intelligence we’ve got information that North Korea sent tactical personnel and officers to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters at NATO headquarters. “They are preparing on their land 10,000 soldiers, but they didn’t move them already to Ukraine or to Russia.” Earlier, he warned that any North Korean involvement would be "the first step to a world war.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the allies "have no evidence that North Korean soldiers are involved in the fight. But we do know that North Korea is supporting Russia in many ways, weapons supplies, technological supplies, innovation, to support them in the war effort. And that is highly worrying.” The Ukrainian leader’s comments raised the stakes for his Western allies as he met in Brussels with European Union leaders and then NATO defense ministers to discuss his “ victory plan ” to end the country’s devastating war with Russia. Major points of the plan include an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and permission to use Western-supplied longer-range missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russia, steps that have been met with reluctance by Kyiv’s allies so far. “Ukraine truly deserves to become the 33rd NATO member one day, and we must do everything to ensure this happens," Zelenskyy said in an appeal at the alliance's headquarters. "Ukrainians have shown that we can defend shared values, and we are standing against Russia, the biggest threat to Europe and global peace.” He told EU leaders that “we can end this war no later than next year” if his plan is followed. Zelenskyy told reporters that the plan aims “to strengthen Ukraine" and pave the way for a diplomatic solution to end the conflict on Europe's eastern flank. “This plan doesn’t depend on Russian will, only on the will of our partners,” he said. In a statement after their talks with Zelenskyy, the EU leaders called for a “rapid stepping up of military support and acceleration in its delivery, in particular air defense systems, ammunition and missiles” to protect Ukraine’s population and energy infrastructure. Read: Kim again threatens to use nuclear weapons against South Korea and US “Russia must not prevail,” the statement said. The EU is a key supporter of Ukraine, a candidate member of the 27-nation bloc, as it fights Russia's invasion that began more than 2 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy had outlined the five-point plan to Ukraine’s parliament on Wednesday without disclosing confidential elements that have been presented in private to key allies, including the United States. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations of any EU leader with Russian President Vladimir Putin, called Zelenskyy's plan “more than frightening” in a Facebook post. He said he would urge major EU powers France and Germany to “begin negotiations with the Russians as soon as possible, in order to find a way out of this situation.” Rutte said Kyiv can rest “absolutely assured that 32 allies are united in making sure that collectively, we will do whatever is needed to make sure that Ukraine can prevail, that Putin will not get his way.” He reiterated that Ukraine’s place is among NATO’s ranks, but would not say when it might join. Zelenskyy told EU leaders that his troops must keep battling Russian forces in Ukraine "while also bringing the war back into Russia so that Russians can feel what war is like and begin to hate Putin for it.” Zelenskyy said he needs to "move some partners forward” on the issue. “And I think only with the unity in EU we can move and can move not only EU leaders, we can move other leaders.” Thursday's talks in Brussels come as Ukrainian troops are struggling to hold off better-equipped Russian forces, especially in the eastern Donetsk region where they are gradually being pushed back. Kyiv is surviving with Western help, but Ukraine says it is coming too slowly. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda criticized slow Western decision-making over Ukraine and said it “would be a great mistake to think that our hesitance is the best way to de-escalation.” At their summit in Washington in July, the 32 NATO members declared Ukraine on an “irreversible” path to membership. But for now, NATO is in a holding pattern. Its biggest and most powerful member, the United States, is facing a presidential election. European allies expect little movement on Ukraine until a new president takes office in January. Read more: North Korea discloses a uranium enrichment facility as Kim calls for more nuclear weapons Beyond that, the United States and European heavyweight Germany remain deeply concerned about being dragged into a wider war with nuclear-armed Russia, and they lead a group of countries that oppose allowing Ukraine to join NATO until the conflict ends.

The mayor of the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih said 10 people have died following Russian missile strikes overnight that hit civilian sites including a residential building. Oleksandr Vilkul said 28 other people had been wounded and at least one person was believed to be under the rubble. In an early afternoon update Tuesday, Vilkul wrote on the Telegram app that a dozen injured people had been rushed to city hospitals. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. At least six people were killed when Russian missiles hit civilian buildings in an overnight attack Tuesday in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said, as rescuers scrambled to retrieve people believed to be trapped under the rubble. The strike involving cruise missiles hit a five-story residential building, which was engulfed in fire, Gov. Serhiy Lysak of the Dnipropetrovsk region wrote on Telegram. Also Read: Ukraine recaptures village as Russian forces hold other lines, fire on fleeing civilians elsewhere After initial reports of three dead, Kryvyi Rih mayor Oleksandr Vilkul wrote on the social media app that the death toll had risen to a least six, and seven people were feared trapped under the rubble. Authorities initially said at least two dozen people were wounded. The devastation in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown is the latest bloodshed in Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, as Ukrainian forces are mounting counteroffensive operations using Western-supplied firepower to try to drive out the Russians. Images from the scene relayed by Zelenskyy on his Telegram channel showed firefighters battling the blaze as pockets of fire poked through multiple broken windows of a building. Charred and damaged vehicles littered the nearby ground. Also Read: Top UN court allows a record 32 countries to intervene in Ukraine's genocide case against Russia "More terrorist missiles," he wrote. "Russian killers continue their war against residential buildings, ordinary cities and people." The aerial assault was the latest barrage of strikes by Russian forces that targeted various parts of Ukraine overnight. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was attacked with Iranian-made Shahed drones, and the surrounding region was shelled, local Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram. The shelling wounded two civilians in the town of Shevchenkove, southeast of Kharkiv. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, separately reported early Tuesday that the drone strike damaged a utilities business and a warehouse in the city's northeast. Neither Terekhov nor Syniehubov referenced any casualties within Kharkiv. Also Read: A dam collapses and thousands face the deluge — often with no help — in Russian-occupied Ukraine The Kyiv military administration reported that the capital came under fire as well on Tuesday, but the incoming missiles were destroyed by air defenses and there were no immediate reports of any casualties there. Air defenses overnight shot down 10 out of 14 cruise missiles and one of four Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russian forces, Ukraine's General Staff said on its Facebook page. Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine's ground troops said the country's forces were "moving forward" outside the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote on Telegram that Russian forces are "losing positions on the flanks," while Ukrainian troops were conducting "defensive" operations in the area. For weeks, Ukrainian officials have been reporting small gains west of Bakhmut, which was largely devastated in the war's longest and bloodiest battle before Moscow's forces took control last month. Also Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry published a video showing what it said was a German-made Leopard 2 tank and U.S.-made Bradley fighting vehicle captured from Ukrainian forces. According to the ministry, the video was shot by Russian soldiers after fierce fighting in the southern Zaporizhzhia, and a soldier is seen pointing at the immobilized vehicles. It wasn't immediately possible to verify the video's authenticity. Like the Bakhmut area, battle zones in Zaporizhzhia are one of several places along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where Ukrainian forces have been intensifying their counteroffensive operations. On Monday, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said the country's troops recaptured a total of seven villages spanning 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) of eastern Ukraine over the past week — small successes in the early phases of a counteroffensive. Russian officials didn't confirm those Ukrainian gains, which were impossible to verify and could be reversed in the to-and-fro of war. The advance amounted to only small bits of territory and underscored the difficulty of the battle ahead for Ukrainian forces, who will have to fight meter by meter to regain the roughly one-fifth of their country under Russian occupation.  

World leaders ratcheted up pressure Sunday on Russia for its war against Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the center of a swirl of diplomacy on the final day of the Group of Seven summit of rich-world democracies. Zelenskyy's in-person attendance at one of the world's premier diplomatic gatherings is meant to galvanize attention on his nation's 15-month fight against Russia. Even before he landed Saturday on a French plane, the G7 nations had unveiled a slew of new sanctions and other measures meant to punish Moscow and hamper its war-fighting abilities. Ukraine is the overwhelming focus of the summit, but the leaders of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy, as well as the European Union, are also working to address global worries over climate change, AI, poverty, economic instability and nuclear proliferation. Also Read: Ukrainian president meets with world leaders at G7 as Russia claims a key victory in the war Two U.S. allies — South Korea and Japan — continued efforts Sunday to improve ties that have often been hurt by lingering anger over issues linked to Japan's brutal 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited a memorial to Korean victims, many of them slave laborers, of the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing. Washington wants the two neighbors, both of which are liberal democracies and bulwarks of U.S. power in the region, to stand together on a host of issues, including rising aggression from China, North Korea and Russia. Bolstering international support is a key priority as Ukraine prepares for what's seen as a major push to take back territory seized by Russia in the war that began in February last year. Zelenskyy's visit to the G7 summit closely followed the United States agreeing to allow training on potent American-made fighter jets, which lays the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Ukraine. Also Read: Zelenskyy says ‘Bakhmut is only in our hearts’ after Russia claims controls of Ukrainian city "Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and enhanced cooperation for our victory. Peace will become closer today," Zelenskyy tweeted after his arrival. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy would have direct engagement at the summit. On Friday, Biden announced his support for training Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, a precursor to eventually providing those aircraft to Ukraine. "It is necessary to improve (Ukraine's) air defense capabilities, including the training of our pilots," Zelenskyy wrote on his official Telegram channel after meeting Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, one of a number of leaders he talked to. Zelenskyy also met on the sidelines of the summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their first face-to-face talks since the war, and briefed him on Ukraine's peace plan, which calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country before any negotiations. India, the world's largest democracy, has avoided outright condemnation of Russia's invasion. While India maintains close ties with the United States and its Western allies, it is also a major buyer of Russian arms and oil. Summits like the G7 are a chance for leaders to put pressure on one another to align or redouble their diplomatic efforts, according to Matthew Goodman, an economics expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. "Zelenskyy's presence puts some pressure on G7 leaders to deliver more — or explain to him directly why they can't," he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the G7 summit for aiming to isolate both China and Russia. "The task has been set loudly and openly: to defeat Russia on the battlefield, but not to stop there, but to eliminate it as a geopolitical competitor. As a matter of fact, any other country that claims some kind of independent place in the world alignment will also be to suppress a competitor. Look at the decisions that are now being discussed and adopted in Hiroshima, at the G7 summit, and which are aimed at the double containment of Russia and China," he said. The G7, however, has vowed to intensify the pressure. "Russia's brutal war of aggression represents a threat to the whole world in breach of fundamental norms, rules and principles of the international community. We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes to bring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace," the group said in a statement. Another major focus of the meetings was China, the world's No. 2 economy. There is increasing anxiety that Beijing, which has been steadily building up its nuclear weapons program, could try to seize Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. China claims the self-governing island as its own and regularly sends ships and warplanes near it. The G7 said they did not want to harm China and were seeking "constructive and stable relations" with Beijing, "recognizing the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China." They also urged China to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine and "support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace." China's Foreign Ministry said that "gone are the days when a handful of Western countries can just willfully meddle in other countries' internal affairs and manipulate global affairs. We urge G7 members to ... focus on addressing the various issues they have at home, stop ganging up to form exclusive blocs, stop containing and bludgeoning other countries." The G7 also warned North Korea, which has been testing missiles at a torrid pace, to completely abandon its nuclear bomb ambitions, "including any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology," the leaders' statement said. The green light on F-16 training is the latest shift by the Biden administration as it moves to arm Ukraine with more advanced and lethal weaponry, following earlier decisions to send rocket launcher systems and Abrams tanks. The United States has insisted that it is sending weapons to Ukraine to defend itself and has discouraged attacks by Ukraine into Russian territory. "We've reached a moment where it is time to look down the road again to say what is Ukraine going to need as part of a future force, to be able to deter and defend against Russian aggression as we go forward," Sullivan said. Biden's decisions on when, how many, and who will provide the fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets will be made in the months ahead while the training is underway, Biden told leaders. The G7 leaders have rolled out a new wave of global sanctions on Moscow as well as plans to enhance the effectiveness of existing financial penalties meant to constrain President Vladimir Putin's war effort. Russia is now the most-sanctioned country in the world, but there are questions about the effectiveness. Russia had participated in some summits with the other seven countries before being removed from the then-Group of Eight after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The latest sanctions aimed at Russia include tighter restrictions on already-sanctioned people and firms involved in the war effort. More than 125 individuals and organizations across 20 countries have been hit with U.S. sanctions. Kishida has twice taken leaders to visit to a peace park dedicated to the tens of thousands who died in the world's first wartime atomic bomb detonation. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima in parliament, wants nuclear disarmament to be a major focus of discussions. The G7 leaders also discussed efforts to strengthen the global economy and address rising prices that are squeezing families and government budgets around the world, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The group reiterated its aim to pull together up to $600 billion in financing for the G7's global infrastructure development initiative, which is meant to offer countries an alternative to China's investment dollars.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy huddled with some of his biggest backers in Hiroshima on Sunday, building momentum for his country's war effort even as Russia claimed a symbolic victory on the battlefield. The Ukrainian leader's in-person appearance in his trademark olive drab during the final day of the Group of Seven summit underscored the centrality of the war for the bloc of rich democracies. It also stole much of the limelight from other priorities, including security challenges in Asia and outreach to the developing world, that the leaders focused on at the three-day gathering. Zelenskyy held two major rounds of meetings Sunday, one with G7 leaders and a second with them and a host of invited guests including India, South Korea and Brazil. He also held one-on-one talks with several of the leaders. Also Read: Zelenskyy says ‘Bakhmut is only in our hearts’ after Russia claims controls of Ukrainian city U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new military aid package worth $375 million for Ukraine during his meeting with Zelenskyy, saying the U.S. would provide ammunition and armored vehicles. That fresh pledge came days after the U.S. agreed to allow training on American-made F-16 fighter jets, laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Ukraine. "We have Ukraine's back and we're not going anywhere," Biden said. Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the support, adding that "we will never forget." Even before Zelenskyy landed Saturday aboard a French plane, the G7 nations had unveiled a slew of new sanctions and other measures meant to punish Moscow over its invasion that began in February last year. Read More: G7 'outreach' an effort to build consensus on global issues like Ukraine, China, climate change Hanging over Sunday's talks was the claim by Russia's Defense Ministry that forces of the Wagner private army, backed by Russian troops, had seized the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The eight-month battle for the eastern city — seen by both sides as a major symbolic prize — has been the longest and likely the bloodiest of the war. Asked if Bakhmut was still in Ukraine's hands, Zelenskyy said he thought that Russian forces had finally taken the city in a siege that "destroyed everything." "For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. There is nothing in this place," Zelenskyy said, adding that the fight had left nothing in Bakhmut but a lot of "dead Russians." While Ukraine was the overwhelming focus of the summit, the leaders of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy, as well as the European Union, also aimed to address global worries over climate change, AI, poverty, economic instability and nuclear proliferation. Biden also aimed to reassure world leaders that the U.S. would not default because of the debt limit standoff that has cast a large shadow over his trip. Two U.S. allies — South Korea and Japan — continued efforts Sunday to improve ties that have often been hurt by lingering anger over issues linked to Japan's brutal 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited a memorial to Korean victims, many of them slave laborers, of the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing. Washington wants the two neighbors, both of which are liberal democracies and bulwarks of U.S. power in the region, to stand together on issues, including rising aggression from China, North Korea and Russia. Biden, Yoon and Kishida met briefly as a group outside the summit venue posing for photos in front of Hiroshima Bay. Biden invited the two leaders to visit Washington for a trilateral meeting and they accepted, a US official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said. Zelenskyy also met on the sidelines of the summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their first face-to-face talks since the war, and briefed him on Ukraine's peace plan, which calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country before any negotiations. India, the world's largest democracy, has avoided outright condemnation of Russia's invasion. While India maintains close ties with the U.S. and its Western allies, it is also a major buyer of Russian arms and oil. Summits like the G7 are a chance for leaders to put pressure on one another to align or redouble their diplomatic efforts, according to Matthew Goodman, an economics expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. "Zelenskyy's presence puts some pressure on G7 leaders to deliver more — or explain to him directly why they can't," he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the summit for aiming to isolate both China and Russia. "The task has been set loudly and openly: to defeat Russia on the battlefield, but not to stop there, but to eliminate it as a geopolitical competitor," he said. The G7, however, has vowed to intensify the pressure, calling Russia's assault on Ukraine "a threat to the whole world in breach of fundamental norms, rules and principles of the international community." The group took a different approach in its comments on China, the world's No. 2 economy. There is increasing anxiety that Beijing, which has been steadily building up its nuclear weapons program, could try to seize self-governing Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. The G7 said they did not want to harm China and was seeking "constructive and stable relations" with Beijing, "recognizing the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China." They also urged China to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine and "support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace." China's Foreign Ministry said that "gone are the days when a handful of Western countries can just willfully meddle in other countries' internal affairs and manipulate global affairs. We urge G7 members to ... focus on addressing the various issues they have at home, stop ganging up to form exclusive blocs, stop containing and bludgeoning other countries." The G7 also warned North Korea, which has been testing missiles at a torrid pace, to completely abandon its nuclear weapon ambitions, "including any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology," the leaders' statement said. The G7 leaders have rolled out a new wave of global sanctions on Russia, now the most-sanctioned country in the world, as well as plans to enhance the effectiveness of existing financial penalties meant to constrain President Vladimir Putin's war effort. The latest sanctions aimed at Russia include tighter restrictions on already-sanctioned people and firms involved in the war effort. More than 125 individuals and organizations across 20 countries have been hit with U.S. sanctions. Russia had participated in some summits with the other seven countries before being removed from the then-Group of Eight after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Kishida, mindful of the host city's symbolic importance, has twice taken leaders to visit to a peace park dedicated to the tens of thousands who died in the world's first wartime atomic bomb detonation. He had wanted nuclear disarmament to be a major focus of discussions. Some survivors of the 1945 atomic bomb attack and their families worried that Zelenskyy's inclusion at the summit overshadowed that priority. Etsuko Nakatani, an activist whose parents survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing, said the leader's visit was "not appropriate for Hiroshima, which is a peace-loving city." Protesters carrying "No War No G7" banners briefly scuffled with riot police deployed as part of a massive show of force throughout the city during a march Sunday. The G7 leaders also discussed efforts to strengthen the global economy and address rising prices that are squeezing families and government budgets around the world, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. They reiterated their aim to pull together up to $600 billion in financing for the G7's global infrastructure development initiative, which is meant to offer countries an alternative to China's investment dollars.