On this picture offered by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fireplace following Russia’s drone assault within the Kyiv area, Ukraine, Sunday, Might 18, 2025.
AP/Ukrainian Emergency Service
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AP/Ukrainian Emergency Service
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with high U.S. officers and European leaders in Rome on Sunday, a part of stepped-up diplomatic efforts forward of a high-stakes cellphone name Monday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the warfare in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the U.S. ambassador’s residence, whereas German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned he had spoken each to Zelenskyy and to Rubio on the sidelines of the brand new pope’s inauguration.
Merz mentioned that he had additionally agreed with the leaders of France and Britain “that we’ll converse once more with the American president in preparation for this dialog.”
“My agency impression is that each the Europeans and the Individuals are decided to work collectively, however now additionally in a goal-oriented method, to make sure that this horrible warfare ends quickly,” Merz advised reporters in Rome.
Trump mentioned he plans to talk by cellphone Monday with Putin, and can then converse to Zelenskyy and leaders of varied NATO nations, about ending the warfare in Ukraine.
The intensified diplomacy got here as Russia launched its largest drone barrage towards Ukraine for the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion in 2022, after the primary direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years didn’t yield a ceasefire.
Putin spurned Zelenskyy’s supply to satisfy face-to-face in Turkey after he himself proposed direct negotiations — though not on the presidential stage — as a substitute for a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, together with the U.S.
Talks in Istanbul on Friday broke up after lower than two hours with out a ceasefire, though each side agreed on exchanging 1,000 prisoners of warfare every, based on the heads of each delegations. Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, mentioned on Ukrainian tv Saturday that the alternate might occur as early as subsequent week.
Russia fired a complete of 273 exploding drones and decoys, Ukraine’s air drive mentioned Sunday. Of these, 88 had been intercepted and an extra 128 misplaced, seemingly having been electronically jammed. The assaults focused the nation’s Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk areas.
Yuriy Ihnat, Head of the Communications Division of the Ukrainian Air Pressure, advised The Related Press that the barrage was the most important drone assault for the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion.
Russia’s earlier largest recognized single drone assault was on the eve of the warfare’s third anniversary, when Russia pounded Ukraine with 267 drones.
Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk mentioned a a 28-year-old girl was killed in a drone assault on the area and three different folks, together with a 4-year-old baby, had been wounded.
In the meantime, Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned its air defenses shot down seven Ukrainian drones in a single day, and an extra 18 on Sunday morning.
