Ukraine Faces Unprecedented Aerial Assault Amidst Stalled Peace Efforts

President Volodymyr Zelensky has disclosed that Ukraine has recently suffered its largest aerial assault ever, with 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles striking cities across the nation in successive waves. Zelensky condemned this brazen attack, stating, "It comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace and establish a ceasefire, yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all." The overnight strike occurred following remarks from former President Donald Trump, who stated the U.S. would be sending additional weapons to Kyiv. This statement marked a reversal from a suspension announced the previous week, which reports indicated Trump was not aware of. On Tuesday, the current U.S. leader expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, asserting, "We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump’s comments by noting that Moscow remains calm regarding the harsh language often employed by the former president. The regular contact between these two leaders has not yet led to meaningful progress toward a ceasefire in Ukraine, despite Trump previously claiming he could resolve the situation in a single day. After a phone call with Putin last week, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the Russian president's unwillingness to halt aggression, stating, "He wants to go all the way; just keep killing people. It’s no good." This criticism has surfaced amid the Trump administration's announcement of a military aid suspension to Ukraine, reportedly authorized by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Elbridge Colby, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. When asked by reporters who was responsible for the decision, Trump, sitting next to Hegseth, replied, "I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?" The reversal of the suspension may now facilitate the dispatch of 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as reported by Axios. Kyiv depends on these interceptors to counter the escalating missile and drone assaults from Russia, which have intensified in both frequency and severity. Currently, no part of Ukraine appears to be safe from Russian strikes, with the eastern region and the capital Kyiv frequently under fire. Lutsk, a city situated 90 km (56 miles) from the Polish border and a critical transit hub for military and humanitarian aid, bore the brunt of the recent overnight attack. Other explosions were recorded in the western cities of Lviv and Rivne. Earlier this year, two rounds of ceasefire talks were held between Russia and Ukraine, yet no further meetings have been scheduled, leading both Moscow and Kyiv to express skepticism regarding any diplomatic resolution to a conflict that commenced with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Meanwhile, Russia's summer offensive in eastern Ukraine continues to make headway. Peskov stated on Wednesday, "We are moving forward. Each new day, the Ukrainians have to accept the new realities." Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2