Geneva – Fresh drone strikes in Ukraine and Russia have cast a shadow over upcoming peace talks brokered by the United States, raising doubts about the prospects for a ceasefire as the conflict enters its fifth year. One person was killed in each country on Saturday, according to reports, adding to the grim backdrop of negotiations set to begin next week.
The attacks occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled significant obstacles to reaching an agreement in Geneva. Zelenskyy, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, expressed frustration that the two sides often “are talking about different things” during negotiations. He specifically noted a recurring American emphasis on concessions from Ukraine, without a corresponding focus on concessions from Russia.
“The Americans often return to the topic of concessions, and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia,” Zelenskyy said.
Rubio echoed the skepticism, stating, “We don’t know if the Russians are serious about ending the war,” and adding that the US would “continue to test it.”
The latest violence included a Russian drone strike in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Ukraine, which killed an elderly woman, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported. Simultaneously, a civilian was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in the Russian border region of Bryansk, according to regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz.
These attacks followed a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian city of Belgorod on Friday, which resulted in two deaths and five injuries, as reported by regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Damage to energy facilities in Belgorod also left residents without electricity, heating, and water.
The renewed round of US-brokered talks is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s communications advisor, Dmytro Lytvyn, also confirmed the negotiations. This round follows previous discussions in Abu Dhabi led by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which reportedly centered on military issues such as a potential buffer zone and ceasefire monitoring.
A key point of contention remains Russia’s demand for a full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of the Donetsk region that Ukraine still controls. Ukraine has rejected a unilateral withdrawal, seeking instead Western security guarantees to prevent a renewed Russian invasion should a ceasefire be established.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, also at the Munich Security Conference, stated that Russia is currently suffering “crazy losses” in Ukraine, estimating approximately 65,000 soldiers killed on the battlefield in the last two months. Rutte also expressed confidence in NATO’s ability to defend against a potential Russian attack, stating, “We will win every fight with Russia if they attack us now.”
The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, making it Europe’s deadliest war since World War II. Zelenskyy has previously stated that the US has set a June deadline for reaching a deal, though past ultimatums have failed to produce a breakthrough.
The ongoing fighting extends beyond direct military engagements. Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched over 6,000 drone attacks against Ukraine in January alone, while also asserting that Ukraine will soon be able to produce enough interceptors to neutralize Russia’s Iranian-made Shahed drones. He also highlighted the widespread damage to Ukraine’s power plants due to Russian attacks.
Ukrainian member of parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko accused Moscow of waging “energy terror” by targeting electricity facilities during the winter months. “I can’t call it any other way because when It’s minus 20 Celsius in Kyiv and you don’t have heating, you don’t have electricity in your apartment, you’re just freezing and that is awful,” Goncharenko said. He called for increased pressure on Russia from the United States to ensure meaningful negotiations.
