A deadly exchange of drone strikes has claimed lives in both Ukraine and Russia, raising doubts about the prospects of a ceasefire ahead of another round of US-brokered negotiations in Geneva next week.
The incidents come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted significant hurdles to reaching an agreement as the conflict nears its fifth year.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelenskyy expressed cautious optimism about progress during the upcoming trilateral talks but warned that the sides often appear to be “talking about different things.” He noted, “The Americans often return to the topic of concessions, and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia.”
Rubio, meanwhile, questioned Moscow’s commitment to peace. “We don’t know if the Russians are serious about ending the war,” he said. “We’re going to continue to test it.”
Among the most contentious issues is Russia’s demand for a full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the eastern Donetsk region still under Russian control. Ukraine has rejected any unilateral pullback, insisting on Western security guarantees to prevent a renewed invasion if a ceasefire is agreed.
Rubio did not attend a Ukraine-focused meeting with European and NATO leaders on the sidelines of the first day of the Munich conference, citing scheduling conflicts.
On Saturday, Zelenskyy reiterated that Russia must be held accountable for its aggression and expressed hope that the United States and European nations would remain actively engaged in peace efforts.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel told Al Jazeera that while US President Donald Trump should be credited for advancing talks, he should exert more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin rather than on Zelenskyy.
The deadly strikes and ongoing diplomatic tensions underscore the fragile state of negotiations and the complex dynamics that continue to shape the war in Ukraine.
