Russia launched a fresh wave of strikes on Kyiv and several other Ukrainian cities early Tuesday, just hours after President Trump's top peace negotiators wrapped up a visit to the capital. The resumption of attacks ended a brief lull that had allowed the envoys to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense reported that its forces intercepted 175 aerial targets overnight, but ballistic missiles still struck residential buildings in Kyiv, a market in Odesa, and a train in the Sumy region. At least two civilians were killed, and more than 19 people were wounded in the capital alone, according to Ukrainian officials. Fires broke out in 14 high-rise buildings, a dormitory, a school, a clinic, and several warehouses, as reported by Reuters.
Katarina Mathernova, the European Union's ambassador to Ukraine, described the night on social media: “The russians bombed us all night. Kyiv was exploding and burning. We were all hiding in shelters.”
The strikes came shortly after Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, a longtime associate of Trump, left Kyiv. They had met with Zelensky on Monday as part of an effort to restart negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, which have been stalled for months. Both Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire to allow the envoys to travel safely.
Kushner and Witkoff, who had earlier held talks in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin, said they presented “new ideas” to end the war, though they offered no public details. Witkoff noted he had visited Moscow at least eight times in connection with the peace push. The envoys acknowledged that a breakthrough remains elusive, with Kushner defending the administration's efforts during a press conference in Kyiv.
“The tone of your question was a little bit like, why haven't you done every single impossible thing possible? We are very honored to be able to have the opportunity to work on these under President Trump's leadership,” Kushner said. He added, “We have been doing everything we can to try and find a way out of a mess that was created before President Trump's time.”
Zelensky, appearing alongside the envoys, stressed the urgent need for more air defense systems, particularly Patriot interceptors, to counter Russian ballistic missile barrages expected to intensify during the winter. He also called for increased U.S. energy support, including liquefied natural gas supplies. “We are counting on support for air defense and the energy sector, as well as substantial volumes of American LNG and the ability to use them,” he said.
The Ukrainian leader reiterated that major sticking points remain, especially regarding territorial concessions that Moscow is demanding. He insisted that such complex issues can only be resolved through direct talks between leaders. Putin has dismissed Zelensky's legitimacy and conditioned any summit on the Ukrainian president traveling to Moscow, while also calling for elections in Ukraine.
“I think such complex issues can only be resolved at the level of leaders,” Zelensky said. “But the main thing is that today we have the opportunity to discuss everything — security guarantees, Ukraine's future and the prosperity plan. We are talking not only about security guarantees, but also about economic guarantees for Ukraine — to recover and rebuild.”
The renewed attacks underscore the fragility of the ceasefire and the challenges facing the Trump administration's diplomatic push. Despite the president's campaign promise to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, negotiations remain deadlocked, and the human toll continues to mount. For more on the ongoing diplomatic efforts, see this report on the envoys' meeting. The situation also raises broader questions about U.S. policy toward Russia, as recent prisoner releases highlight Moscow's tactics.
