KYIV/MOSCOW – Kyiv is prepared for a potential high-level meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with mediation by Türkiye and the United States, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported on Friday, citing the Ukrainian foreign minister.
“We are ready for such a meeting in Türkiye. I am referring to a meeting between Zelensky, Putin, (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, and possibly (US President Donald) Trump,” Andrii Sybiha was quoted as saying during his visit to Türkiye.
Sybiha underscored Türkiye’s important role in peace efforts and thanked Ankara for its support, particularly its role in establishing a “grain corridor” in the Black Sea.
Russia strikes Ukraine’s defense-industrial targets
Russian forces carried out six strikes over the past week targeting Ukrainian defense-industrial facilities and infrastructure supporting the armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
The Russian Armed Forces conducted one massive strike and five group strikes using long-range high-precision weapons launched from air, sea and ground platforms, as well as strike drones, between April 11 and 17 in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian targets, the ministry said in a statement.
The strikes targeted Ukrainian defense-industrial enterprises involved in producing cruise missiles, as well as fuel, energy and transport infrastructure supporting the Ukrainian armed forces, it said.
The ministry added that military airfields, assembly and storage sites for strike drones, and temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed units and foreign mercenaries were also hit.
According to the ministry, Russian forces took control of the settlement of Volchanskie Khutory in the Kharkiv region over the past week, and brought the settlement of Zybino in the same region under control over the past 24 hours.
Over the same period, Russian air defense systems destroyed 1,665 drones, 60 guided aerial bombs and nine US-made HIMARS rockets, the ministry said, adding that the Black Sea Fleet destroyed five Ukrainian unmanned boats.