France on Thursday condemned a massive wave of attacks on Ukraine as evidence of Russia’s lack of resolve to pursue a genuine peace agreement, and end the war that has raged since February 2022.
The criticism followed one of the heaviest bombardments of Ukraine in more than a month. Hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles rained down on residential areas, leaving at least two people dead.
“Russia claims to be ready for negotiations while at the same time carrying out deadly strikes. These latest attacks illustrate once again the need to stop the killings and maintain, even strengthen, pressure on Russia,” a French Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Paris reiterated its backing for United States President Donald Trump’s initiative for what it called “a just and lasting peace”.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, Moscow fired 574 drones and 40 missiles between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, setting off explosions across the capital Kyiv and hitting cities from Kherson to Lviv in the far west, a region usually spared such bombardments.
Local authorities said one person was killed in Kherson and another in Lviv.
NATO confirms support for Ukraine as Russia seeks role in talks on security
The bombardment comes as Ukrainie's President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for what could be his first face‑to‑face meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin since 2019.
Speaking to international media, Zelensky said he expected to receive clear proposals from the West on security guarantees for Ukraine within the next week, before the meeting can go ahead.
"We should have a bilateral meeting in a week or two, as President Trump wishes," Zelensky told reporters. A subsequent trilateral summit, including Trump, could follow depending on the outcome, he added.
Mutual defence guarantees
Ukraine is seeking long‑term security pledges, given fears that Russia could reignite the war even if a temporary settlement is reached.
Proposals under discussion range from NATO‑style mutual defence guarantees to Western troop deployments and new commitments in training, air defence and naval support.
Moscow has rejected these options outright, framing any NATO eastward expansion as one of the root causes of the war.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Thursday branded any deployment of European troops in Ukraine "unacceptable" and accused Kyiv of shunning the prospect of "a fair and lasting settlement".
Russia sees France as its 'chief enemy' in Europe, says head of French army
Zelensky, meanwhile, ruled out Moscow’s idea of China acting as a guarantor for Ukraine’s security. "China did not help us stop this war, and it has helped Russia by opening its drone market," he said.
The Ukrainian president also revealed that his country has successfully tested a long‑range missile named Flamingo, with a reach of up to 3,000 kilometres. He said mass production could begin by late 2025 or early 2026, in a bid to lessen Ukraine’s reliance on arms deliveries from its allies.
On the ground, Ukraine reports that Russia is reinforcing its positions in the occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, redeploying troops from Kursk, the Russian border area where Ukrainian forces had briefly pushed forward earlier this year.
Switzerland, Austria and Turkey have been floated as possible venues for a summit, while Ukraine has ruled out Hungary, citing its closeness to the Kremlin.
Moscow has acknowledged the prospect of a meeting with Zelensky, but stressed it must be "carefully prepared".
