Zelenskyy accuses Russia of ‘cynical’ attacks before Washington talks

 

Zelenskyy accuses Russia of ‘cynical’ attacks before Washington talks

 

Ukrainian president says latest strikes have killed at least 10 people and intended to ‘humiliate diplomatic efforts’

 

 Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates

Luke Harding

Mon 18 Aug 2025 13.53 BST

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/18/trump-ukraine-crimea-nato-zelesnkyy-washington-meeting

 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of trying to humiliate Ukraine and Europe by “deliberately killing civilians” before talks with Donald Trump in the White House to be attended by Ukraine’s president and a group of European leaders.

 

Zelenskyy described the latest strikes by Moscow on four Ukrainian cities as “demonstrative and cynical”. At least seven people were killed in a drone attack on Kharkiv, including a small girl, while three were killed in another bombing in Zaporizhzhia, he said.

 

The Russians were “aware that a meeting is taking place today in Washington that will address the end of the war,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “[Vladimir] Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts.”

 

He said Ukraine required an end to the war, reliable security guarantees, and a just and “dignified peace”, adding: “Moscow must hear the word stop.”

 

Russia’s latest attacks come amid signs that Trump is likely to put pressure on Zelenskyy to accept a peace deal in which Russia would gain land it has been unable since 2014 to occupy. The US president has ruled out allowing Ukraine to join Nato or retake Russian-occupied Crimea as part of the negotiations.

 

Hours before he was due to meet the leaders of Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the EU and Nato, Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday night: “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and no going into Nato by Ukraine. Some things never change!!!”

 

A minute later, the US president posted that it would be a “great honour” to host so many European leaders at one time at the White House.

 

The remarks may trigger alarm among European diplomats keen to avoid a repeat of the public mauling of Zelenskyy during his previous trip to the White House, in February, when Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, accused him of ingratitude and disrespect and told him: “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now.”

 

According to ABC News, Vance will take part in discussions with Zelenskyy on Monday.

 

Arriving in Washington late on Sunday, Zelenskyy said he hoped Ukraine’s “shared strength” with the US and European counterparts would compel Russia to peace.

 

“I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably,” Zelenskyy posted on Telegram. “And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace.”

 

Trump will meet first with Zelenskyy at 1.15pm EDT (1715 GMT) in the Oval Office, and then with the European leaders in the East Room at 3pm, the White House said.

 

Even before Trump’s remarks on Sunday, Zelenskyy faced a daunting task of reversing the damage done to Ukraine’s security prospects by the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on Friday.

 

Earlier, Trump accused the media of misrepresenting his “great meeting in Alaska” – an encounter widely seen as a victory for Putin and a humiliation for the US president. On Sunday, Trump claimed he had made “big progress” on Russia, without giving details.

 

European leaders on Monday will reaffirm their support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and argue against any land swap plan that rewards Russian aggression. They will also seek further clarity on what security guarantees the US is willing to offer in the event of a settlement.

 

The European leaders will hold a preparatory meeting with Zelenskyy before talks with Trump, the EU said.

 

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to international organisations in Vienna, said early on Monday that Russia agreed that any future Ukraine peace agreement must provide security guarantees to Kyiv, but that Russia “has equal right to expect that Moscow will also get efficient security guarantees”.

 

In a conciliatory statement announcing his visit to Washington, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, praised Trump for his “efforts to end Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine”. At the same time, he reasserted Europe’s red lines. Starmer said the “path to peace” could not be decided without Zelenskyy and said Russia should be “squeezed” with further sanctions.

 

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told CNN that Putin had agreed for the first time for the US and Europe to provide protection to Ukraine as part of a deal. This would be outside the auspices of Nato but the equivalent of the alliance’s article 5 self-defence pact, Witkoff indicated.