Ukrainian authorities reported ongoing Russian attacks despite a proposed European ceasefire that Russia rejected. Over the weekend, leaders from Britain, France, Germany, and Poland demanded a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting on Monday, but Russian President Vladimir Putin countered with a suggestion for direct talks in Istanbul to potentially discuss a ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed the ceasefire offer, expressing readiness to respond if Russia continued its aggression. Overnight, Ukraine faced a significant drone assault involving over 100 long-range combat drones. By early morning, Ukrainian air defense confirmed shooting down 55 of these drones, although some evaded detection, leading to damage. A drone strike injured a woman in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk, and additional attacks occurred in the northeastern Kharkiv and northern Sumy regions.
The situation on the front lines remained unclear, and Ukraine’s military had not formally updated its status since midnight. Both Ukraine and Russia aimed to align their actions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s goals for peace, with Ukraine seeking to secure more military support from the U.S. amid fears of economic sanctions against Russia softening.
European foreign ministers prepared for talks in London, threatening Russia with sanctions for any ceasefire violations. In the meantime, Putin dismissed the ceasefire proposals, asserting that discussions about the conflict’s root causes should precede ceasefire talks. Although Zelenskyy initially responded cautiously to Putin’s Istanbul offer, he later challenged Putin to meet face-to-face there. The likelihood of such a meeting remains uncertain, given the historical animosity between the two leaders since they last met in December 2019.
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