Zelensky Urges Increased Pressure on Russia Amid Odesa Drone Strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for intensified international pressure on Russia to engage in negotiations following a devastating drone strike on the city of Odesa, which resulted in two fatalities and 15 injuries. In a statement released via Telegram, Zelensky emphasized, "We need further pressure on Russia to force it to be quiet and to negotiate. The more effective the sanctions are, the more incentives Russia will have to end the war."
The attack on Odesa was part of a larger offensive, with Russia launching a total of 170 drones targeting key cities including Kyiv, Sumy, and Kropyvnytskyi, as well as the regions of Kharkiv and Cherkasy. Zelensky noted that Moscow has been ignoring calls from Washington for an unconditional ceasefire, dismissing a 30-day ceasefire proposal made by the United States and Ukraine in March unless there was a cessation of Western military assistance to Kyiv.
Interestingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a surprise three-day truce from May 8-10, coinciding with Moscow's annual World War II Victory Day celebrations, raising questions about Russia's commitment to peace in the presence of ongoing hostilities.
The Ukrainian emergency service described the strike on Odesa as massive, with considerable damage reported to high-rise buildings, private homes, a supermarket, a school, and vehicles. Emergency services confirmed that over 200 residents were evacuated from one affected building.
In retaliation, a Ukrainian drone strike reportedly killed seven people in a market in Oleshky, a town under Russian occupation in the Kherson region on the same day. Additionally, explosions were reported in Sumy, and air raid sirens activated across multiple regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernigiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia.
This intensification of hostilities comes on the heels of a minerals agreement signed between the United States and Ukraine. This deal, described by the Trump administration as a new form of commitment to Kyiv post-military aid, aims to secure long-term investment from Washington to stabilize Ukraine against further Russian aggression. Initially hesitant, Ukraine accepted the minerals deal, contingent upon robust security guarantees to deter future attacks from Russia. However, reports suggest that the agreement does not specify explicit security commitments from the US.
As the conflict continues to escalate, the urgency for a diplomatic resolution remains critical, and the international community's response could significantly influence the trajectory of the war.
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