Senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials began a dialogue on Monday about how to end Moscow’s three-year war against Kyiv, just hours after Russian air defenses shot down more than 300 Ukrainian drones in the biggest attack since the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
The widespread attack, which spanned 10 regions of Russia, killed two people and injured 18 others, including three children, officials said. There were no reports of significant damage.
Meanwhile, Russia launched 126 Shahid and other drones and a ballistic missile toward Ukraine on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Air Force said, part of Moscow's ongoing bombing of civilian targets in the conflict.
In the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reporters briefly visited the premises where a high-profile Ukrainian delegation met with the American top diplomat to discuss ending Europe's worst conflict since World War II.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiled for the cameras while Ukrainian officials sat with serene expressions at a table across from him as the meeting began in a luxury hotel.
There have been no comments from Ukrainian or American officials regarding the drone attack.
The Saudi foreign minister was also present at the talks, which were fluttering the flags of the United States, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. The officials did not respond to questions.
The talks reflect new diplomatic momentum following an unprecedented spat that erupted during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on February 28.
Ukrainian officials told The Associated Press on Monday that they would propose a ceasefire in the Black Sea that would provide safer conditions for shipping, an end to long-range missile attacks that have hit Ukrainian civilians and the release of prisoners.
The Kremlin has made no public offer of compromise. Russia has stated its readiness to end hostilities on the condition that Ukraine abandons its plans to join NATO and recognizes the regions occupied by Moscow as Russian.
Russian forces have maintained the upper hand on the battlefield for more than a year and are advancing along parts of a 600-mile (1,000 km) front, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region.
Most of the Ukrainian drones launched overnight – 126 – were neutralized over the Kursk region, on the Kyiv-controlled side of the border, while 91 were shot down over the Moscow region, according to a Defense Ministry statement.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
