LONDON (AP) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine emphasized on Sunday that Europe must play a pivotal role in negotiations to end the ongoing war with Russia. His comments came as he arrived in London for discussions with key European allies following a Russian drone attack that resulted in three deaths.
Prior to meetings facilitated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelenskiy indicated that their conversations would concentrate on enhancing support for Ukraine, particularly in air defense.
“It’s essential for Europe to be involved in the talks and be resolute,” he stated during an appearance on a television show.
The gathering at 10 Downing Street also included French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. After several hours of discussions, Macron and Merz departed, leaving Starmer and Zelenskiy to continue their dialogue.
The E3 group, comprising Britain, France, and Germany, has significantly backed Ukraine since Russia’s large-scale invasion in February 2022. Both Britain and France are spearheading a “coalition of the willing” to enhance security for Ukraine as part of the peace efforts.
This meeting followed a Russian drone attack that tragically killed three individuals waiting at a bus stop in southeastern Ukraine. Additionally, another person suffered injuries in a separate drone assault in Barabin, located in the Zaporizhzhya region, as noted by regional military governor Ivan Fedorov on his Telegram channel.
In another incident, a drone attack caused damage to a nuclear fuel storage facility in the Kyiv region, situated just 15 kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Ukrainian General Staff reported that the attack ignited a fire that was contained within an hour, with officials assuring that radiation levels remained safe.
Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, expressed concern over the incident due to the substantial amount of nuclear material at the site, mentioning that authorities would soon investigate.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that one man was killed, and a woman injured during a Ukrainian attack in Russia’s Kursk region, according to local governor Alexander Hinshteyn.
This Russian assault came after a significant Ukrainian drone strike on Saturday that targeted St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, highlighting Ukraine’s increasing capability to reach deep into Russian territory.
The attack in St. Petersburg occurred shortly after the city’s main economic forum, marking a setback for President Vladimir Putin’s narrative that the conflict is distant and doesn’t interfere with daily life in Russia.
President Putin dismissed Zelenskiy’s invitation to a meeting on Friday, labeling it as “meaningless.”
