ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A fresh wave of deadly Russian strikes across Ukraine proved that there is “no real change” in the Kremlin’s attitude despite a renewed push for peace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday. 

The attacks came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg for talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. 

“Almost immediately after another round of talks, Russia launched a pointed attack. This means there has been no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening,” Zelensky said on X. 

The Ukrainian leader stressed the importance of finding a lasting solution to the conflict. “But when Russia responds to negotiations with ballistic missiles, real pressure on Russia is needed to bring about different steps.” 

The Russian strikes in Kyiv and across Ukraine also injured at least 34 people, including five children, according to Zelensky. 

He further referenced Witkoff’s description of Putin as a “humanitarian” in his statement, saying, “Three waves of ballistic missiles have been launched at Kyiv by Russian ‘humanitarians’ since yesterday evening.” 

While Witkoff’s comments about Putin attracted negative attention across Washington, Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended his remarks, explaining that the envoy said “something nice” to Putin because he agreed to release Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen held in Russia for years after being arrested in Ukraine. 

In Russia, the defense ministry said that its forces shot down over 600 Ukrainian drones overnight. Sergey Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, said two people were wounded in the attacks. 

Following Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, US President Donald Trump said that negotiators were “maybe now the closest we’ve been” to ending the war. 

A day prior, Witkoff had described his meeting with Zelensky in Norway as “productive.” 

On Wednesday, the Kremlin said that it sees little “substance” in new European and Ukrainian approaches toward ending the war.