Russia launched one of its most aggressive aerial assaults of the war on Sunday, bombarding Ukraine with a wave of drones that the country’s officials say was aimed primarily at Kyiv.
The strike reportedly involved 273 exploding drones and decoys, with the attack killing one woman and leaving several others injured.
Coming just a day before a scheduled conversation between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the timing has raised daunting questions about Moscow’s intentions and its openness to peace.
What Is Happening in the Ukraine War, or the Drone War?
According to the New York Times, the size and timing of Sunday’s attack – one of the largest since 2022, was deliberately placed to make a point: Russia is still defiant, capable of doing damage, and any halt in fighting will be at its discretion.
Talks between Russia and Ukraine recently took place in Istanbul, but no ceasefire was agreed. The strike followed President Trump’s announcement on Saturday that he would hold talks with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as key NATO leaders, to broker an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire.
While Zelensky has agreed to those terms, possibly due to Washington’s pressure, Putin has continued to insist on Ukrainian territorial concessions as a precondition, effectively stalling progress.
Meanwhile, in Rome, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Zelensky in the wake of the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV. The encounter was carefully choreographed to publicly signal a thaw in relations after a rocky White House meeting in February.
According to a White House statement, the talks focused on “the status of ongoing negotiations and the path to lasting peace.”
Vance, whose public alignment with Trump’s controversial foreign policy platform has garnered skepticism from Kyiv, appeared conciliatory.
It marked the second high-level meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian leadership in less than a month. Trump and Zelensky spoke privately in person at the Vatican following the funeral of Pope Francis last month.
Ukraine: What Happens Now?
Despite Trump’s diplomatic overtures and the White House’s carefully scripted gestures of unity, the drone strike served as a jarring reminder: Putin still seems to be playing hardball.
As Ukrainian civilians count the cost of Sunday’s assault, the coming days will test whether Trump’s cease-fire push could be successful.
On Tuesday, the White House said that President Trump, alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had spoken with both Putin and Zelensky over the phone, and that ceasefire conditions would soon be discussed between the two belligerents.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
