Zelenskyy casts doubt on peace talks prospects as Russian strikes on Ukraine continue

Published connected 31/05/2025 - 15:16 GMT+2•Updated 15:25

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has formed uncertainty complete whether renewed bid talks pinch Russia, group to return spot adjacent week successful nan Turkish metropolis of Istanbul, will output results.

He said connected Friday that Kyiv is still waiting for Russia to explain its proposals up of nan talks, which are group to return spot connected 2 June.

Andrii Yermak, a apical advisor to Zelenskyy, said Friday that Kyiv was fresh to resume nonstop bid talks pinch Russia but that nan Kremlin should first supply a promised memorandum mounting retired its position connected ending nan much than three-year war.

Zelenskyy said that Russia was “undermining diplomacy” by withholding nan document.

"Neither we successful Ukraine nor Turkey, arsenic nan big country, person immoderate accusation astir Russia's alleged 'memorandum.' For immoderate reason, nan Russians are hiding this document. It is simply a wholly unusual position," Zelenskyy said successful his nightly reside connected Friday.

As uncertainty remains astir a caller information of bid talks, Russia strikes person continued to deed Ukraine.

Officials said Russia's drone and rocket attacks connected Ukraine connected Saturday killed astatine slightest 2 people, including a 9-year-old girl.

Russian troops launched immoderate 109 drones and 5 missiles crossed Ukraine overnight, according to nan Ukrainian aerial force. Three of nan missiles and 42 drones were destroyed and different 30 drones grounded to scope their targets without causing damage, it said.

A 9-year-old woman was killed successful a onslaught connected nan front-line colony of Dolynka successful nan Zaporizhzhia region, and a 16-year-old was injured, Zaporizhzhia politician Ivan Fedorov said.

“One location was destroyed. The shockwave from nan blast besides damaged respective different houses, cars, and outbuildings,” Fedorov wrote connected Telegram.

Another man was killed by Russian shelling successful Ukraine's Kherson region, section politician Oleksandr Prokudin wrote connected Telegram.

Moscow did not remark connected either attack.

Russia's Ministry of Defence said Saturday that it had gained power of nan Ukrainian colony of Novopil successful nan Donetsk region, and took nan colony of Vodolahy successful nan bluish Sumy region. Ukrainian authorities successful Sumy ordered mandatory evacuations successful 11 much settlements arsenic Russian forces make dependable gains successful nan area.

The caller additions bring nan full number of settlements nether removal orders successful Sumy, which borders Russia’s Kursk region, to 213.

Meanwhile, 14 group were injured including 4 children aft Ukrainian drones struck flat buildings Saturday successful nan Russian municipality of Rylsk and nan colony of Artakovo successful nan occidental Kursk region, according to section acting politician Alexander Khinshtein.