Kyiv, Ukraine — Russia launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the war it sparked more than three years ago. There was no response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s challenge for President Vladimir Putin to meet with him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week.
The United States and European governments have made a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia’s invading forces have seized control of around one-fifth of Ukraine.
In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the U.S. and European leaders but offered instead to hold direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday. The Kremlin has not said whether Putin himself is willing to travel to Turkey to engage in those talks.
Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept a ceasefire starting Monday before holding peace talks. Moscow effectively rejected that proposal and instead called for direct negotiations in Istanbul.
President Trump insisted that Ukraine accept the Russian offer. Zelenskyy went a step further and put the pressure on Putin by offering a personal meeting between the leaders.
“Ukraine wants to end this war and is doing everything for this,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram Monday. “We expect appropriate steps from Russia.”
Zelenskyy has first conversation with Pope Leo
The Ukrainian leader said he told Pope Leo XIV about peace efforts during his first phone conversation with the new pontiff.
Ukraine is counting on the Vatican’s help in securing the return of thousands of children that the Kyiv government says have been deported by Russia, Zelenskyy said, adding that he had invited the pope to visit Ukraine.
“Ukraine counts on the Vatican’s assistance in bringing them home to their families,” Zelenskyy said of the children in a post on X. “I informed the Pope about the agreement between Ukraine and our partners that, starting today, a full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days must begin. I also reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for further negotiations in any format, including direct talks — a position we have repeatedly emphasized. Ukraine wants to end this war and is doing everything to achieve that. We now await similar steps from Russia.”
In his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff, Leo called for a genuine and just peace in Ukraine.
“I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” said the first U.S.-born leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
In 2022, in the war’s early months, Zelenskyy repeatedly called for a personal meeting with the Russian president but was rebuffed, and eventually enacted a decree declaring that holding negotiations with Putin had become impossible.
Putin and Zelenskyy have only met once, in 2019. Mr. Trump says “deep hatred” between the sides has made it difficult to push peace efforts forward.