While President Donald Trump was busy bullying Ukraine into thanking him for his “efforts,” Russia launched another attack on Kyiv. Ironically, the offensive came just a day after Trump suggested there might be favorable developments in peace talks.
After discussions with Ukrainian leadership in Geneva on Sunday, Trump shared a hopeful Truth Social post on Monday. “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine?” he said, hinting at progress. “Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening,” he declared.
Earlier on Friday, Zelenskyy expressed his discontent with Trump’s original 28-point plan, which included ceding Ukraine’s eastern territories to Russia. Though Trump initially said that Ukraine “will have to like” his plan, he later clarified that he’s open to suggestions. Then, in Geneva, officials proposed amendments to the plan.
Europe’s counterplan to Trump’s 28-point plan
The counterplan included a crucial point of discussing territorial exchange at the point of contact, only after a peace agreement. It also increased the cap on the size of its military and tweaked the NATO membership terms. In a joint statement, officials called the talk “constructive, focused, and respectful.” But Russian leadership probably didn’t like it.
Putin had backed the previously proposed 28-point plan since it explicitly favored Russia. The original plan, if it had been agreed upon, would’ve snatched away Ukraine’s NATO membership dreams. That’s something Russia has always pressed on, since it makes Ukraine an easier target for them in the future. But since Ukraine rejected the plan and Europe proposed its own deal, Russia lost its cool.
Russia attacked Kyiv on Tuesday
During the early morning hours on Tuesday, Nov. 25, Moscow launched an explosive attack on Kyiv. According to reports thus far, the attack destroyed several residential buildings, as well as major energy infrastructure. Videos showing a nine-story building in Dniprovskyi were shared on Telegram, providing proof of the attack.
Tymor Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv city administration, revealed that at least four people were injured. Mayor Vitalii Kitschko revealed that the central Pechersk district was also attacked (via NBC News). While Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia hasn’t reviewed the updated plan, it’s being debated. There’s a possibility that the attack was launched in response to amendments proposed to the original 28-point plan.
The sudden attack also comes across as a slap in the face of the U.S. administration. Trump claimed to be respected by Russia while brokering the peace deal, but Russia’s actions have proved otherwise. Despite the peace talks being actively pursued, Putin refused to put a pause to his offensive. If anything, it’s a sign that it’s not the U.S., but Russia that’s dictating the peace talks.
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