Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of avoiding a crucial peace summit, despite efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table in a bid to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Russia was “trying to wriggle out of holding a meeting,” despite US-led attempts to arrange talks between him and Putin. Trump, who is leading efforts to end Russia’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, has been pushing for direct negotiations. However, despite high-profile talks between Putin and Trump in Alaska last week, as well as separate meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington on Monday, no significant progress has been made.
Zelenskyy expressed frustration over Russia’s lack of willingness to pursue peace, saying, “Frankly speaking, the signals coming from Russia are simply outrageous… They don’t want to end this war.” He added that Russia’s continued massive attacks on Ukraine, especially along the front line, proved their intentions to escalate, not negotiate.
Zelenskyy has indicated a willingness to meet with Putin, but only after securing clear security guarantees for Ukraine to protect against future Russian aggression. He has also stated that any peace talks should take place in a neutral European country, ruling out Moscow as a potential venue. Furthermore, he rejected the idea of China being involved in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.
In contrast, Russia claimed that Ukraine is not genuinely interested in a long-term peace agreement, accusing Kyiv of making unrealistic demands that contradict Moscow’s own conditions.
Trump has given a two-week window to assess the likelihood of a peace agreement, suggesting that Washington may reconsider its approach if negotiations fail. Zelenskyy, however, warned that both sides were preparing for continued conflict, with Russia amassing troops along the southern front line and Ukraine testing a new long-range cruise missile.
Zelenskyy’s remarks came as Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight, marking the largest strike since mid-July. The attack resulted in one fatality in Lviv and left several others injured. Russian missiles also targeted an American-owned factory in Mukachevo, wounding 23 people. The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine stated that Moscow’s actions were aimed at “destroying and humiliating” US businesses in the country.
Further shelling in Kherson killed one person and wounded over a dozen others. Meanwhile, in Russian-occupied Donetsk, two people were killed, and at least 21 were wounded in Ukrainian shelling, according to Russian-installed officials.
On the front lines, Russian forces claimed to have captured the village of Oleksandro-Shultyne in Donetsk, edging closer to the fortified town of Kostiantynivka, which lies just eight kilometers away.
France condemned Russia’s recent missile strikes, labeling them as proof of Moscow’s lack of genuine interest in peace talks. A military coalition led by Britain and France is reportedly being formed to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy expressed hope that Ukraine would reach a consensus on security guarantees within the next seven to ten days, as Kyiv prepares for further talks with its international allies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, dismissed Ukraine’s security demands, calling them unrealistic. He also rejected the idea of European troops being deployed to Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of undermining prospects for a fair and lasting settlement.
In a significant military development, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine successfully tested the “Flamingo” long-range cruise missile, capable of striking targets up to 3,000 kilometers away. The missile could enter mass production by February, strengthening Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Despite these advancements, Russian forces continue to gain ground, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia region, which Russia claims as its own along with four other Ukrainian territories.