Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Sunday in Rome – their first encounter since a tense White House alternate in February – as Russia launched what Kyiv referred to as a “record” drone assault on the capital.
The assembly got here two days after the primary direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in additional than three years, held Friday in Türkiye. While the 2 sides agreed to a prisoner swap, there was no breakthrough on a cease-fire.
“We talked about the Istanbul talks, where the Russians showed up with a low-level delegation lacking any real authority,” Zelenskyy mentioned on Telegram after the assembly, which befell on the U.S. ambassador’s residence.
Earlier within the day, each leaders attended the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo on the Vatican.
“We also touched on the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, the situation on the battlefield and the future exchange of prisoners,” Zelenskyy added.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Zelenskyy’s aide, Andriy Yermak, additionally attended the assembly.
In a short assertion, the White House mentioned “the leaders discussed their shared goal of ending the bloodshed in Ukraine and provided updates on the current state of negotiations for a cease-fire and lasting peace.”
A photograph accompanying the assertion confirmed Vance and Zelenskyy smiling broadly – a pointy distinction to their bitter Oval Office conflict in February.
Vance additionally met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in separate talks that the White House later described as “constructive.”
A senior Ukrainian official from the president’s workplace, who spoke on situation of anonymity, advised AFP that Zelenskyy and Vance mentioned preparations for Monday’s cellphone name between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump wrote Saturday on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would communicate with Putin on Monday to cease the “BLOODBATH” in Ukraine.
Leaders of Britain, Germany and France additionally wish to communicate with Trump forward of that decision with Putin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned.
The U.S. president has ramped up strain on Ukraine and to this point has shunned criticizing Putin, who launched the most important battle in Europe since World War II.
‘Better’ talks
The Ukrainian official mentioned Sunday’s assembly in Rome went “better” than the Oval Office confrontation three months in the past.
At that point, Vance publicly accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” towards Trump, who had advised the Ukrainian chief he must be extra grateful and had “no cards” to play in negotiations with Russia.
Zelenskyy and his spouse, Olena Zelenska, have been additionally granted an viewers with Pope Leo following his inauguration.
“We thank the Vatican for its willingness to become a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia,” Zelenskyy mentioned after assembly the pontiff.
“The martyred Ukraine is waiting for negotiations for a just and lasting peace to finally happen,” Pope Leo XIV mentioned throughout his inaugural tackle.
‘Record’ drone barrage
Ukraine on Sunday mentioned Russia had launched a document variety of drones in a single day, concentrating on a number of areas together with the capital, Kyiv, the place a girl was killed.
Another individual – a person – was killed within the southeastern Kherson area, the place a railway station, houses and automobiles have been additionally hit.
The Ukrainian air pressure mentioned Russia launched 273 Shahed assault drones and different forms of imitator drones. Of these, 88 have been destroyed and 128 went off track “without negative consequences,” it mentioned.
Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko referred to as it a “record” assault. “Russia has a clear goal – to continue killing civilians,” she mentioned.
Russia’s army mentioned it had intercepted 25 Ukrainian drones in a single day and into Sunday morning. Moscow additionally claimed to have captured Bahatyr, a village in japanese Ukraine’s Donetsk area, because it steps up its offensive regardless of the Istanbul peace talks.
‘Root causes’
In an interview with Russian state tv printed Sunday, Putin mentioned Moscow’s purpose was to “eliminate the causes that triggered this crisis, create the conditions for a lasting peace and guarantee Russia’s security,” with out elaborating.
Russia’s references to the “root causes” of the warfare usually cite grievances with Kyiv and the West, used to justify its February 2022 invasion.
Those embody guarantees to “de-Nazify” and demilitarize Ukraine, shield Russian audio system within the nation’s east, push again towards NATO enlargement, and cease Ukraine’s westward drift.
Kyiv and the West say the warfare is nothing greater than an imperial-style land seize.
Tens of 1000’s have been killed since Russia launched its invasion, and tens of millions have been pressured to flee their houses.
Friday’s talks in Türkiye led to an settlement to alternate 1,000 prisoners from both sides.
Source: www.dailysabah.com