US proposes Kyiv cede territory to Russia in exchange for security guarantees
A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Kiev had received “signals” regarding a number of proposals that Washington was discussing with Russia. Ukraine had no role in preparing the proposals, the source said.
Zelensky, who held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Türkiye on Wednesday, will meet with US military officials in Kiev on Thursday. Zelensky said on Tuesday that he was preparing to “revive negotiations” and discuss with Erdogan how to bring “just peace” to Ukraine.
Loading
Witkoff was expected to meet with Zelensky in Türkiye, but the meeting was postponed. according to TelegramThe Ukrainian president was unhappy with the latest offer after his officials were informed.
Ukraine giving up territory has been a long-time demand for Putin since he met Trump in Alaska for peace talks in August, but Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out handing over the entire Donbas. Russia has captured more than 80 percent of the territory since its large-scale invasion in 2022, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
There have been no face-to-face talks between Kiev and Moscow since a meeting in Istanbul in July, and Russian forces have continued Moscow’s almost four-year war in Ukraine.
While efforts to revive peace talks appear to be gaining momentum, Moscow has shown no signs of changing its key terms, including Kiev abandoning plans to join NATO.
The Kremlin said that Russian representatives would not attend the Ankara talks, but that Putin was open to talks with the United States and Türkiye regarding the results of the talks.
The latest deal was criticized by Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev (left) and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, who were seen together in St Petersburg in April.Credit: access point
Commenting on the alleged new US proposals, a European diplomat said they could be “another attempt by the Trump administration to corner Kiev”, but added that there could be no solution that does not take into account the position of Ukraine or Washington’s European allies.
Another European diplomat said the suggestion that Ukraine cut its military appeared to be a Russian demand rather than a serious proposal.
Meanwhile, officials said on Wednesday, Ukrainian time, that at least 25 people, including three children, were killed in a Russian drone and missile attack on the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil.
The nighttime attack hit two nine-storey apartment blocks in Ternopil, about 200 kilometers from the Polish border, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. Emergency services said at least 73 people were injured, including 15 children.
Klymenko said that at least 19 people, including three children aged 5, 7 and 16, were burned alive among the dead. Two dozen people were still unaccounted for and rescue teams expected to work for at least two more days to complete the search of the wreckage, he said on national television.
Rescue teams are clearing the rubble of a residential building that was heavily damaged in the Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Ternopil.Credit: access point
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 476 attack and decoy drones at Ukrainian targets overnight, as well as 48 missiles of various types. The air force said 47 cruise missiles were involved in the bombardment and air defenses intercepted all but six. It was stated that F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets supplied by the West intercepted at least 10 cruise missiles.
“Every brazen attack on ordinary life is a sign of the pressure on Russia. [to stop the war] “Insufficient,” Zelensky wrote on the messaging app Telegram.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that it had attacked Ukraine’s energy facilities and military-industrial targets, including long-range drone warehouses, in retaliation for Kiev’s attacks on Russian territory.
It was stated that Ukraine fired four ATACMS missiles supplied by America at Voronezh, Russia, on Tuesday. All four were hit, but debris damaged some buildings, the ministry said. The Ministry announced that there was no loss of life.
Romania confused two Eurofighter Typhoon jets and two F-16s when a drone entered the NATO member’s airspace during Russia’s attack on western Ukraine on Wednesday, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense said.
The Polish military also said Polish and allied aircraft were deployed around midnight as a preventive measure. Poland’s Rzeszów and Lublin airports were temporarily closed to prioritize military aviation, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency said.
Meanwhile, Britain warned Russia on Wednesday that it was prepared to deal with any attack on its territory after the spy ship Yantar was spotted at the edge of UK waters north of Scotland.
Defense Secretary John Healey said the Russian ship pointed a laser at the pilots of surveillance planes monitoring its activities.
“My message to Russia and Putin is this: We see you. We know what you are doing. And if Yantar goes south this week, we are ready,” Healey said in his speech in London.
In a statement, the Russian embassy accused the British government of being “Russophobic” and “inciting militarist hysteria”, adding that Moscow had no interest in undermining Britain’s security.
Reuters, AP
Take notes directly from our foreign country reporters about things that make headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What’s on in the World Newsletter.
