Russia launched its largest drone and missile salvo on Ukraine in more than a month, killing nine civilians and injuring at least 19 people, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attack was carried out by 574 strike drones and 40 missiles, which targeted cities as far west as Lviv.
The strikes also damaged an American-owned manufacturing company, Flex Ltd., in the western region of Zakarpattia, according to officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with US President Donald Trump earlier this week has failed to produce tangible progress on ending the conflict.
Zelensky suggests that the strike was deliberate and targeted at American property, while French Foreign Ministry condemns the attacks, saying they illustrate Russia’s lack of willingness to engage in peace talks. The Ukrainian president is open to making compromises on a ceasefire, but wants security guarantees for Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has poured cold water on plans for a Putin-Zelensky meeting, saying that all issues need to be worked out first and that deploying foreign troops in Ukraine is “absolutely unacceptable”. The Kremlin claims that Zelensky’s term technically ends in May 2024, but this is disputed by the international community.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/21/europe/zelensky-ukraine-ceasefire-talks-intl