Millions of people across Ukraine were without power on Tuesday after another deadly wave of Russian missile and drone strikes, as Kyiv said it had agreed a framework plan on future security guarantees with the US and European states during talks on how to end the war.
At least three people were killed in air attacks on most regions of Ukraine that yet again targeted the country’s energy infrastructure. The attacks forced the three nuclear power stations still under Kyiv’s control to reduce electricity output.
“Overall, at least 13 regions have already come under attack,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles at the country. Air-defence systems and fighter pilots flying US-made F-16s and other jets shot down 587 drones and 34 missiles, according to the military in Kyiv.
Mr Zelenskiy added: “This Russian strike sends an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities . . . ahead of Christmas, when people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe. An attack carried out essentially in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war."
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The Ukrainian president said Russian president Vladimir Putin “still cannot accept that he must stop killing”.
Mr Zelenskiy urged the world to put more pressure on Russia to push it “toward peace and guaranteed security”. He also made a plea to provide his country with more air-defence systems, ammunition and energy equipment for its badly damaged electricity grid ahead of the coldest months of winter.
The attack came after US envoy Steve Witkoff said “Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine” and “highly values the efforts and support of the United States to resolve the Ukrainian conflict and re-establish global security”.
Mr Zelenskiy was briefed on Tuesday by senior Ukrainian envoys who held talks with US and European negotiators in Miami last weekend as part of a push by US president Donald Trump to end the worst fighting in Europe since the second World War.
He said “draft documents” had now been prepared “on security guarantees for Ukraine, on recovery, and on a basic framework for ending this war”, adding: “The points for today have been set in such a way as to correspond to the objective of actually ending the war and the need to prevent a third Russian invasion.”
Kyiv says it needs ironclad security guarantees from the West following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and creation of pro-Kremlin militias in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and then its full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February, 2022.
On Monday night, Mr Zelenskiy said “initial drafts” of several important documents had been agreed in Miami and that “as of today, this all looks quite solid and dignified”.
He said discussions had revolved around a 20-point framework peace proposal, security guarantees for Ukraine from the US and European powers, and plans for the economic recovery of a country that experts say will need more than $500 billion (€424 billion) to rebuild.
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev also held talks with US negotiators in Miami last weekend, and the Kremlin has said it is waiting for his report before commenting on the chances of a breakthrough in the diplomatic process.
However, the Kremlin has warned that it is unlikely to welcome amendments by Ukraine and Europe to an initial 28-point peace proposal that was reportedly drafted by Mr Dmitriev and Mr Witkoff and aligned closely with all of Moscow’s main demands.
Moscow accuses Kyiv and its European allies of trying to sabotage Mr Trump’s push for peace and has repeatedly urged him not to let that happen, while also calling for US-Russia talks on Ukraine to be conducted in secrecy.
