Camilla Jessen
As Kyiv calls for a ceasefire and prepares for peace talks in Turkey, Russia continues to launch drone and artillery attacks.
Hopes for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine appear to be unraveling as Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of launching more than 100 drone strikes and dozens of frontline attacks on the very day the truce was supposed to begin.
President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced frustration late Monday, criticizing the Kremlin’s lack of response to the ceasefire initiative and ongoing violence across multiple regions of Ukraine.
“Moscow has been silent all day about the proposal for a direct meeting. A very strange silence,” Zelensky said in his nightly address, as reported by France24.
Russia continues its bombing and attacks.
A Day Meant for Truce, Marred by Violence
According to Ukraine’s military, 69 clashes with Russian forces had occurred as of early afternoon Monday, with drone attacks targeting Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
A freight train was hit in eastern Ukraine, reportedly by a Russian drone.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha condemned the attacks as a clear rejection of the ceasefire plan and said he had briefed European ministers and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the situation.
“Russia is completely ignoring the ceasefire proposal,” Sibiha stated, adding that he and European allies discussed further sanctions, particularly targeting Russia’s banking and energy sectors and possibly its central bank.
Ceasefire Talks and International Pressure
On Saturday in Kyiv, the United States, France, Germany, the UK, and Poland backed a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire.
President Donald Trump, who has taken a leading role in recent negotiations, expressed optimism on Monday about a planned summit in Istanbul on Thursday, where peace talks may take place.
I think good things could come out of this meeting,” Trump said. “Russia will agree to a 30-day ceasefire.
However, the Kremlin has not confirmed its attendance or designated a representative. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only that Russia is “seriously seeking a long-term peaceful settlement.”
In the meantime, German officials issued a warning Monday that if Russia does not comply with the ceasefire by the end of the day, the EU will begin formal preparations for new sanctions.
Time is running out,” said a German government spokesperson. “If a ceasefire is not established by then, the European side will act.
Both Zelensky and Putin have expressed conditional willingness to attend the summit in Istanbul on Thursday. Zelensky said he is prepared to meet Putin directly, calling the ceasefire a crucial foundation for meaningful talks.
Putin, however, has described the Western-backed truce demands as “ultimatums”, and instead proposed direct negotiations on his own terms.