Russia bombarded the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles on Wednesday night, striking several houses and injuring at least six people, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. The attack came just hours after US President Donald Trump claimed peace in the conflict was "the closest we've been."
Trump's Optimistic Assessment Despite Strikes
Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said: "The other day I was talking to Vladimir Putin about settling his war with Ukraine, which I think we're getting closer to, by the way, maybe now the closest we've been." Despite the fresh bombardment, the US President appeared upbeat that an end to the conflict is near, though his critics argue there is little evidence to support that.
Trump had claimed on the 2024 campaign trail that he would bring an end to the war in Ukraine in a single day, an outcome that has not transpired.
Diplomatic Efforts and Controversy
Russia's latest bombardment came just hours after Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner pushed for a new resolution with their Moscow counterparts. Witkoff has come under significant scrutiny after he heaped praise on Vladimir Putin during a face-to-face meeting in St Petersburg, where he named the Russian leader a "humanitarian." US Vice President JD Vance backed Witkoff, adding he agreed with "saying something nice to a person who just released an American hostage."
It is unclear what specific details Witkoff discussed with Putin, though the Trump administration has been accused of favouring Russia over Ukraine in peace negotiations. Trump recently ripped up US law he signed in September that banned blocked Russian vessels transporting oil into the US. A waiver was issued by Trump on October 16 that aimed at easing energy concerns among American consumers who have struggled with the increased cost of petrol and diesel.
Military Context and Ukraine's Position
Elon Musk, who supports Trump, is also alleged to have ordered a slowdown of Starlink services that impacted Ukraine's military capability. Russia, which launched the full-scale invasion in 2022, controls the majority of eastern Ukraine. As part of battlefield innovation, Ukraine has utilised Starlink to deploy drones to attack Russian oil refineries and other targets deep within the country since the war began.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would accept a ceasefire deal along the current front line. Speaking to Fox News, he said: "We call it 'ceasefire' or 'stop killings' like President Trump called it. Freeze and stop. And of course this is minimum what we need from Russia today."
