Ukraine’s Leader Warns Against Concessions to Russia After Returning from U.S. Visit
Ukraine’s president has called on allies not to yield to Russia following his visit to the U.S., where he did not obtain the long-range missiles his country had sought.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington after weeks of requesting the weapons, as tensions between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin grew following an inconclusive meeting in Alaska. However, no agreement was reached, with Trump shifting focus to recent diplomatic efforts tied to the Gaza ceasefire.
"Ukraine will never reward terrorists for their crimes, and we expect our partners to stand firm on this principle," Zelenskyy stated in a social media post. He urged stronger support from European and American allies and proposed another meeting of the Europe-led coalition coordinating military aid.
Trump has expressed optimism about potential negotiations after a lengthy phone call with Putin, during which they agreed to meet soon in Budapest. Following discussions with Zelenskyy at the White House, Trump wrote that the talks were "substantive and polite," but reiterated his call for an end to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure have intensified, disrupting power and heating as winter nears. "In just this week, Russia has launched over 3,270 drones, 1,370 guided bombs, and nearly 50 missiles against Ukraine," Zelenskyy reported.
On Sunday, Ukrainian officials said two people were killed and more than a dozen wounded in strikes across eastern regions. Ukraine has also escalated strikes on Russian border areas and energy facilities.
A drone attack halted operations at a Gazprom refinery in Russia’s Orenburg region, which processes resources from Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field, according to Kazakh authorities. Western energy firms, including Shell, Eni, and Chevron, hold major stakes in the field.
The Russian military announced the capture of two villages in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions on Sunday.
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