Nine people were killed in attacks on Kyiv and Rostov as Ukraine and Russia held truce negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv seeks a deal that strengthens, not weakens, Ukraine. Russia reported three deaths and ten injuries in Rostov, while Ukrainian emergency services said six were killed in Kyiv overnight.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it shot down nearly 250 drones during the attacks. Meanwhile, U.S. military officials are set to meet with Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi. European allies cautiously welcomed the revised U.S. peace proposal, which initially faced criticism for favoring Moscow.
Read more: Zelensky calls amended peace plan ‘right approach’
Ukraine also launched attacks on Russian targets. Its military said it hit an oil refinery in Krasnodar, an oil terminal in Novorossiysk, and a military aircraft plant in Taganrog, targeting devices used for loading fuel and a Russian A-60 spy plane.
The Kremlin said it has not yet received the amended U.S. truce plan following Geneva talks. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow views the original “Trump plan” as a solid negotiation basis but insists European participation is essential for regional security discussions.
Read more: Deadly Russian strikes batter Kyiv again
Analysts warned that Geneva talks addressed technical issues like prisoner exchanges and Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant management, but major questions about borders and Ukraine’s future remain unresolved.
Separately, Romania scrambled fighter jets to intercept drones violating its airspace, part of a series of incidents that have heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank. Under Romanian law, drones may be shot down if they pose a threat, but no strikes have occurred yet.