Ukraine’s foreign minister has accused blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering a big missile strike on Ukraine at the same time when peace talks were happening in Abu Dhabi(UAE). The talks included representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, and were planned to find a way to end the war.
Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, called the attack cynical and said it showed Russia was not serious about peace. He wrote on social media that the strike was meant to damage Ukraine and the peace process at the same time.
The missile strikes hit Kyiv and Kharkiv, two of Ukraine’s largest cities. One person was killed and at least 23 people were injured in the attack. Ukraine’s air force said Russia used 375 drones and 21 missiles in the strike. The strikes also hit energy systems, cutting electricity and heat to many homes, leaving people without heat in very cold weather.
The peace talks in Abu Dhabi were arranged by the United States. They were supposed to help Ukraine and Russia get closer to a deal after almost four years of war, which started when Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the first day of talks that it was too early to know the results and asked Russia to show it really wants peace.
Russia has continued to demand that Ukraine give up control of areas of its eastern territory, especially in the Donbas region. Russia wants Ukraine to hand over the remaining part of Donetsk, which is controlled by Ukraine, but Ukraine’s leaders have refused to give up any of their land. Surveys show that most people in Ukraine do not want to give up territory.
The attack happened while Ukraine, Russia, and the United States were trying to make a peace plan. In past discussions, Ukraine said the war must end without giving away land that Russia does not control. Russia says it wants to keep the land it claims. The United States is helping both sides agree on ways to stop the war.
Andrii Sybiha(Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine) called the attack “barbaric” and said it showed that Putin belongs not at the peace table, but at a tribunal. A tribunal is a special court for serious crimes, and Sybiha wanted to say that Putin should be punished for his war actions instead of joining the peace talks.
Ukrainian officials also reported that the attacks damaged major energy infrastructure, leaving areas of Kyiv without power and heat during very cold temperatures with thousands of people affected. The government said this has made daily life harder for many families in the capital.
Russia says it wants peace, but it is still fighting while the peace talks are happening. Some experts say this shows that it is hard to make a peace deal when the war is still going on.
The peace talks in Abu Dhabi are an important chance for Ukraine, Russia, and the United States to try to plan for the future and stop the fighting, which has caused a lot of destruction. But because the attacks happened during the peace talks, many people are unsure if peace can really happen while the war is still going on.
People all over the world are watching these events. In Ukraine, people hope that the talks can still bring peace without giving away land or weakening the country.
