Ukraine: Russia targets Kyiv in record drone attack
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Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Zelenskyy says he agreed to work with Trump to boost air defense
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Donald Trump agreed to cooperate on air defense as the Ukrainian leader sought to press Washington to resume key weapons deliveries. The two leaders held a phone call hours after Russia unleashed one of the biggest air strikes on the Ukrainian capital since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. The U.S. leader also had a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, after which Trump said he was "very disappointed" by the talks. "We spoke about opportunities in air defense and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies," Zelenskyy said in a post on social media platform X on Friday, adding that teams from their governments will meet. Trump was "well informed" about the recent strikes, he said. The phone diplomacy signaled a renewed attempt by Trump to make good on his campaign promise to bring a swift end to the war as it approaches the three-and-a-half-year mark. Efforts have been stymied as Russia maintains its maximalist position. The Ukrainian leader also aimed to address an abrupt U.S. decision to suspend the transfer of artillery rounds and air defense to Ukraine, a move that took Zelenskyy's government and allies off guard. Among the weapons being stopped are 155mm artillery shells and Patriot air-defense missiles, which are key for Ukraine to repel air attacks. The conversation was "very important and fruitful," Zelenskyy said. Germany meanwhile is in advanced talks with the U.S. to secure at least two additional Patriot systems for Ukraine. Chancellor Friedrich Merz held his own call with Trump to push the plan on Thursday, according to a government official who declined to be identified as discussions take place behind closed doors. Berlin is willing to provide Kyiv with two additional Patriot systems, including interceptor missiles, and cover the full costs for the much-needed deliveries, the official said. Trump, who has often echoed the Kremlin narrative in the conflict and has lashed out at Zelenskyy, earlier expressed frustration with Putin. The Russian leader made clear that he will "will not back down" from his war aims, according to a Kremlin readout. "I don't think he's looking to stop and that's too bad," Trump told reporters. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said later that the Kremlin is paying close attention to the U.S. leader's statements, Interfax reported. Russian forces fired more than 500 drones and missiles, mostly targeting Kyiv, in overnight attacks that lasted more than 11 hours. Ukrainian air defense said 478 aerial targets were intercepted, while city authorities registered at least one dead and 26 injured. As Russia's air attacks have escalated, the Kremlin's troops have made only incremental gains on the battlefield and at an increasingly steep human cost. The number of Moscow's casualties since the start of the invasion, including soldiers killed and wounded, is estimated to have climbed above 1 million last month. ----------- -With assistance from Michael Nienaber. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Russia launches air attack on Kyiv after Putin-Trump call
Russia unleashed a record air strike on Ukraine as U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment over his latest phone call with Vladimir Putin aimed at bringing an end to the war. Ukrainian air defense said Russia fired 550 drones and missiles, mostly targeting Kyiv, in overnight attacks that lasted more than 11 hours. It reported that 478 aerial targets were intercepted. Blasts were heard across the capital as impacts registered in five of the city's districts and residential homes were damaged, Kyiv's military administration chief, Tymur Tkachenko, said on Telegram. At least one person was killed and 26 were injured, he said. The assault came as Trump told reporters he was "very disappointed" over Thursday's call with Putin, in which the Russian president said he "will not back down" from his war aims, according to a Kremlin readout. "I don't think he's looking to stop and that's too bad," Trump said, adding that he plans to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said later that the Kremlin is paying close attention to the U.S. leader's statements, Interfax reported. Zelenskyy said Friday the Russian air strikes were a "demonstratively significant and cynical blow" that had started "almost simultaneously with the discussion in media of the phone conversation between President Trump and Putin." He urged Ukraine's allies to maintain deliveries of air defenses and to intensify sanctions on Russia. The German government said it was in "intensive talks" to secure Patriot air-defense systems for Kyiv. "Without really large-scale pressure, Russia will not change its stupid destructive behavior," Zelenskyy said on Telegram. The sixth publicly acknowledged call between Trump and Putin since the U.S. president returned to the White House in January, promising to deliver a swift end to the war, took place as Moscow has intensified air attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks. Russian troops meanwhile have made only incremental gains on the battlefield and at an increasingly steep human cost. The number of Moscow's casualties since the start of the invasion, including soldiers killed and wounded, is estimated to have climbed above 1 million last month. Russia is also intensifying its use of chemical weapons in its war against Ukraine, the Dutch secret service said on Friday. Moscow was using chloropicrin, a chemical that can be lethal in high concentrations and violates the Chemical Weapons Convention, according to the statement. Peskov didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Friday's strikes damaged the Polish consulate in Kyiv, Warsaw's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in a post on X. "Please restore supplies of anti-aircraft ammunition to Ukraine and impose tough new sanctions on the aggressor," he said. The Ukrainian Environment Ministry urged Kyiv residents to stay indoors because of an elevated level of pollution from the smoke caused by the attack. After Russia unleashed another massive drone and missile assault on Sunday, the Pentagon announced this week that it was pausing the transfer of artillery rounds and air defenses to Ukraine, citing a review of U.S. stockpiles as it weighs the need to save weapons to guard against other security threats. Trump had said only last week that he'd look to send more Patriot air-defense missiles to Ukraine following a "good" meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague. Without more support from Washington, Kyiv risks becoming increasingly vulnerable as the current U.S. funding for military aid that was approved under former President Joe Biden is due to run out in the summer. The calls signal a renewed attempt by Trump to secure a truce in Russia's war on Ukraine, currently in its fourth year. Zelenskyy on Thursday reiterated his support for the U.S. leader's ceasefire proposal, which Putin has so far refused to accept as he pushes his maximalist demands. The Kremlin also indicated there'd been little progress on ending the war during the nearly hour-long discussion between Putin and Trump. "Donald Trump once again raised the question of an early cessation of hostilities," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. "Our president said that Russia will achieve its goals." He described the conversation as "frank, businesslike and concrete," adding that the leaders agreed to continue their discussions soon. Putin and Trump talked about Iran and the situation in the Middle East "in considerable detail," Ushakov said. There was no discussion of a meeting between the two leaders, and they didn't touch on the U.S. decision to halt weapons supplies to Ukraine, Ushakov added. Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine quickly, citing his relationship with Putin, but he has also threatened to walk away if the two sides can't agree to terms. While he has squeezed weapons supplies to Ukraine, he hasn't imposed any more sanctions on Russia, despite appeals from Zelenskyy and European leaders to ramp up pressure on Putin. "We had a call, it was a pretty long call," Trump told reporters Thursday evening. "We also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine, and I'm not happy about that." "No, I didn't make any progress," he said. ---------- -With assistance from Stephanie Lai, Ben Holland, Maxim Edwards, Indy Scholtens and Mark Sweetman. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Hamas says it has given ‘positive' response to latest ceasefire proposal
Hamas says it has given a 'positive' response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but said further talks were needed on implementation. It was not clear if Hamas' statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire. Hamas has been seeking guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war, now nearly 21 months old. In a statement issued late Friday, Hamas said it has 'delivered the response to the mediators, which was positive'.
