Ukraine was once again shaken overnight after Russia launched what officials described as the heaviest bombardment in weeks, firing 574 drones and 40 missiles across the country. By Thursday morning, Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 577 of the 614 airborne weapons, yet the sheer scale of the assault underscored the challenges Kyiv faces even as peace talks inch closer to reality.
The strikes were not confined to the eastern battlefields. For the first time in months, western Ukraine was hit with force. In Lviv, a drone and missile attack killed one person and left three others wounded, damaging more than 20 civilian buildings, including homes and a nursery. In the far south-west, near Ukraine’s border with Hungary and Slovakia, 15 people were hurt when missiles struck an American-owned electronics plant in Mukachevo, a facility that produces coffee machines and other household appliances.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the wave of strikes highlighted why diplomatic efforts to end the war were “so critical.” His comments came just as the United States ramped up peace overtures, led by President Donald Trump.
The US president has placed himself at the center of the diplomacy, meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials in Washington earlier this week. While Trump initially floated the idea of a three-way summit with Putin and Zelensky, he has since suggested he may step back. “Now I think it would be better if they met without me,” he told reporters. “If necessary, I’ll go.”
Zelensky, for his part, has signaled flexibility over where potential talks could take place. He said he is open to Switzerland, Austria or Istanbul as possible venues, but was far less welcoming of Budapest, citing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s close relationship with Moscow. “I’m not saying that Orban’s policy was against Ukraine, but it was against supporting Ukraine,” Zelensky remarked.
Hungary has nevertheless offered its capital as a host, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto insisting that Budapest could provide “appropriately fair and safe conditions” for negotiations.
Despite the flurry of diplomatic activity, Zelensky was blunt on Thursday: Moscow has yet to show any real intent to engage in “substantive negotiations.”
As Russia expands the range of its missile strikes firing from western Russia, the Black Sea and even occupied Crimea the war now sits at a crossroads. The Kremlin continues to apply pressure through sheer firepower, while Ukraine leans heavily on air defenses and waits to see if international mediation can finally force a path toward talks.
For many Ukrainians, though, Thursday’s bombardment was a reminder that peace feels as distant as ever.
