Ukraine's Battle: Hope, Horror & A Fragile Peace 💔🕊️

World News

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, seeking to strengthen support for Kyiv amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s nearly four-year war. Simultaneously, European and Ukrainian defense chiefs convened in Brussels for talks focused on Ukrainian and collective security. Prior to the meetings, Macron’s office indicated that Zelenskyy and Macron would discuss the conditions for a “fair and lasting peace.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the purpose of the meeting was to “move the negotiations forward,” adding that “Peace is within reach, if [Russian President] Vladimir Putin abandons his delusional hope of reconstituting the Soviet empire by first subjugating Ukraine.” Reporting from Brussels, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Alhelbarra detailed that Kyiv’s European allies are aiming for an agreement preventing any territory from being ceded to Russia as a condition for a permanent resolution. Alhelbarra further noted the bloc’s concern regarding the potential for territorial concessions.

Following a day of talks in Florida on Sunday between Ukrainian and American negotiators, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported briefings with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb on “the signals we have received from the American side,” as well as conversations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Zelenskyy stated, “These are important days, and much can change.” He characterized the discussions in the United States as “very constructive,” though he acknowledged “some tough issues that still have to be worked through,” noting a progression from Donald Trump’s initial 28-point peace proposal, which Ukraine and its European allies had previously considered favorable to Russia. President Trump declared on Air Force One that “there’s a good chance we can make a deal,” while also pointing to “some difficult little problems” within Ukraine. Amidst this diplomatic activity, Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff and Ukraine’s top negotiator, resigned following a corruption scandal in the energy sector. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the Florida talks as a success, adding that “there’s more work to be done,” citing the complexity of the negotiations and the involvement of a third party.

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, will meet in the Russian capital on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the latest draft peace agreement with President Putin. According to Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, Russians are generally not enthusiastic about the visit. “Polls indicate that most Russians desire an end to the conflict as quickly as possible,” Shapovalova stated, “however, there is limited enthusiasm regarding Mr. Witkoff’s presence.” Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced on Monday that its troops had seized the settlement of Klynove in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, an announcement that could not be independently verified. In the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, at least four people were killed and 40 others injured, with 11 critically, following a Russian missile attack on Monday, as reported by Vladyslav Gaivanenko, the acting governor of Dnipropetrovsk region. The strike damaged four residential high-rises and an educational facility located in the city’s central district, and search and rescue operations were underway. Russia launched 89 strike and decoy drones overnight on Sunday, with 63 of those drones successfully shot down or jammed, according to Ukrainian officials. The Russian Defence Ministry subsequently reported that 32 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight across 11 regions, including the Sea of Azov.