KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday his upcoming visit to Turkey, scheduled for this week, aimed at revitalizing negotiations to end the nearly four-year-long conflict sparked by Russia's invasion. This visit comes after a previous series of low-level talks held in Istanbul earlier this year, which primarily focused on the exchange of prisoners of war and produced no substantive progress towards a ceasefire or peace agreement despite ongoing international efforts led by the United States.
Zelenskyy expressed optimism on social media, stating that he is ready to reinvigorate discussions and has formulated proposals that will be put forward to his Turkish counterparts. “Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine’s top priority,” he emphasized, without detailing the specific solutions he plans to present.
On the following day, Wednesday, Zelenskyy will engage in meetings with senior Turkish government officials and is set to coordinate with the leadership of Ukraine’s Parliament, along with members from his political party, Servant of the People. Prior to his trip to Turkey, he is visiting Spain, where he is expected to seek new support. He is scheduled to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI, along with additional discussions within the Spanish parliament.
Zelenskyy’s busy week began with his arrival in Paris on Monday, where he signed a letter of intent to acquire up to 100 Rafale warplanes from France, in addition to drones and ground-to-air defense systems. This move indicates Ukraine’s continued emphasis on strengthening its military capabilities amid ongoing hostilities.
On the front line, Ukraine has intensified its military operations, notably launching a surprise aerial assault targeting energy infrastructure in the eastern Donetsk region, currently occupied by Russian forces. Denis Pushilin, the Russian-appointed head of the region, reported an "unprecedented" Ukrainian attack that compromised two thermal power stations and resulted in widespread power outages. He also noted earlier drone strikes that had rendered around 500,000 consumers without electricity and exacerbated water shortages in the area.
Despite facing daunting odds with a considerable mismatch in troop numbers, Ukrainian forces remain resolute in their efforts to halt further Russian advances in Donetsk. In a separate incident in the northeastern Kharkiv region, a Russian missile strike on Berestyn claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl and left 10 others injured, highlighting the ongoing threat to civilian safety in the region.
Furthermore, in Dnipro, multiple fires were ignited by Russian drone strikes, injuring two individuals and damaging six residential buildings along with the local offices of Ukraine’s public broadcaster, Suspilne. The broadcaster reported that the building was unoccupied at the time of the attack. The situation escalated as Ukraine’s railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that train cars and additional infrastructure sustained damage due to the assaults in Dnipro.
In a significant overnight escalation, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched a barrage of attacks comprising four ballistic Iskander-M missiles alongside 114 strike and decoy drones across various parts of Ukraine. In response, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its air defenses successfully intercepted 31 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions, further underscoring the ongoing intensity of the conflict.
The situation remains fluid as Ukraine continues to face challenges on multiple fronts, both in terms of military engagements and diplomatic efforts to bring about a resolution to the conflict. The coming days will likely prove crucial as Zelenskyy meets international partners in his quest to end the war.
