The western Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, situated hundreds of miles from the conflict’s front lines, experienced a meaningful attack. The city’s mayor, ruslan Martsinkiv, described it as the most considerable assault sence Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Several individuals in surrounding villages sustained injuries. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
These strikes follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy‘s recent proposal for a new round of peace talks with Moscow.
To date, two rounds of negotiations held in Istanbul have not yielded progress toward a ceasefire. Instead, these discussions have facilitated large-scale prisoner exchanges and agreements for the return of fallen soldiers’ remains.
Earlier this month,the Kremlin indicated it’s readiness to continue negotiations with Ukraine,following a 50-day ultimatum issued by U.S. President Donald Trump for Russia to reach a peace deal or face sanctions. However, there is no indication that President Putin has altered his maximalist demands.
Kremlin spokesperson dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday that achieving a resolution is “not simple” and that Moscow’s “objectives” must be met. These objectives reportedly include the annexation of additional ukrainian territory and the removal of President Zelenskyy and his pro-Western management.
On Friday, the european Union approved its 18th package of sanctions against Moscow. These measures target Russian banks and reduce the price cap on oil exports, aiming to limit Russia’s capacity to finance the ongoing conflict.
