Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine General Keith Kellogg in Kyiv on Thursday. The two discussed defense cooperation, sanctions, and work on international diplomacy, Zelenskyy said on X.

The meeting takes place in the context of intensified Russian attacks and international efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the war.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has proposed an agreement on co-production of drones and weapons with the US. He added that they are “counting on a positive response from the US.”

He also said they discussed financing production and procurement of Patriot air defense systems under the PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) initiative.

Zelenskyy pushed for increased sanctions and tariffs against Russia to enable a leaders’ meeting to “bring this war to an end.”

He added that preparations are underway for the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. They discussed coordination with the US and work within the Coalition of the Willing, as well as other potential meetings at the session.

Zelenskyy has met with US Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg several times in 2025, including in Kyiv in February and July, and again in Washington in August. The meetings have focused on air defense, weapons production, and broader coordination between Kyiv and Washington.

US President Donald Trump told reporters he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days.

The announcement came on 7 September at Andrews Air Force Base, where Trump stated he would address “the Russia-Ukraine situation” and expressed confidence that his administration would resolve the conflict.

“Very soon. Over the next couple of days. Look, we’re going to get it done. The Russia-Ukraine situation. We’re going to get it done,” Trump said, CNN reports.

Trump expressed clear frustration with the escalation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.

“I am not thrilled with what’s happening there,” the president said of Russia’s attacks. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”

US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellog warned that Russia does not appear to be willing to end the war through diplomatic means.

He shared a video from Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko showing the damaged interior of the government’s headquarters in Kyiv.

Svyrydenko urgently called on international partners to provide stronger air defense systems and tougher sanctions.

“History shows events can escalate out of control through actions as these. The attack was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war,” Kellogg wrote.

Trump also indicated that European leaders would visit the White House early this week, suggesting these meetings could contribute to addressing the war resolution.

These statements came after Trump signaled his administration’s readiness to implement a second phase of sanctions against Russia. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced the United States’ willingness to increase pressure on Russia, contingent on European support for such measures.

US Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg has described Russia’s overnight assault on Kyiv as one of the largest since the invasion began, warning that such strikes undermine peace efforts.

Trump’s envoy said Russia conducted the second-largest bombardment of Kyiv since the full-scale invasion started, deploying over 600 drones and 31 missiles against the Ukrainian capital.

“The targets? Not soldiers and weapons but residential areas in Kyiv—blasting civilian trains, the EU & British mission council offices, and innocent civilians. These egregious attacks threaten the peace that @POTUS is pursuing,” Kellogg wrote.

The 28 August overnight strike saw Russian forces launch 629 air attack weapons across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials. Direct hits were recorded at 13 locations, with debris falling at 26 additional sites.

In Kyiv, at least 18 people died in the attack, including four children. The city declared 29 August a day of mourning.

The bombardment targeted civilian infrastructure rather than military installations, hitting residential buildings, transportation networks, and diplomatic facilities. European Union and British mission offices were among the structures damaged in the assault.

Multiple European nations condemned the Russian bombardment, while the European Union and Britain announced they would summon Russian diplomatic representatives for official protests.

The attack represents a significant escalation in Russia’s targeting of civilian areas in the Ukrainian capital, with Kellogg’s assessment marking it as the second-most intensive assault on Kyiv since February 2022.

Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg blasted Russia’s assault on Kyiv, as the death toll climbed to 19 in one of the war’s deadliest strikes.

“These outrageous attacks threaten the peace that President Trump seeks,” Kellogg wrote on X after Moscow unleashed nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles overnight.

Peace talks on the brink

The strike comes as diplomacy falters. Earlier this month, Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin ended without agreement, and a planned Zelenskyy–Putin meeting remains stalled. Kellogg warned that the Kremlin’s escalation proves Russia is still choosing the battlefield over the negotiating table.

A city under fire

In Darnytskyi district, a five-story apartment building was directly struck by multiple Russian missiles, collapsing from the ground floor up. At least 19 people—including four children—were killed, and fears remain that more are trapped beneath the rubble.

Russia launched a massive aerial strike on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities far from the front lines on the morning of 28 August, 2025.

At least 18 people have been killed in Kyiv, with another 38 injured as of this report.

Four children are among the dead, including three aged… pic.twitter.com/mKGrZRgGNE

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 28, 2025

Symbols in the crosshairs

The barrage also damaged symbols of diplomacy and industry, including the EU mission, the British Council, and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty offices.

According to Ihor Zinkevych, a deputy of the Lviv City Council, one of Russia’s targets was a Bayraktar drone plant near Kyiv, designed to produce Turkish TB2 and Akıncı drones. Zinkevych said two missiles struck the facility, causing millions of dollars in damage. Turkish media confirmed the strike, noting it was already the fourth attack on the plant in six months.

Mourning and fallout

Kyiv declared 29 August a day of mourning, lowering flags and canceling events. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded tougher sanctions, saying:

“All deadlines are broken, dozens of diplomatic opportunities wasted. Russia must feel its responsibility for every strike, every day of this war.”

Western leaders echoed outrage: the UK summoned the Russian ambassador, while EU officials vowed new penalties.

Right now in Kyiv, first responders are clearing the rubble of an ordinary residential building after a Russian strike. Another massive attack against our cities and communities. Killings again. Tragically, at least 8 people have already been confirmed dead. One of them is a… pic.twitter.com/aukkujC9ji

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 28, 2025

Key takeaways

• 19 killed, including four children, in one of the war’s deadliest strikes.
• Alaska peace summit failed; Zelenskyy–Putin talks remain stalled.
• EU and British offices hit, Bayraktar drone plant damaged again.

U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov are set to meet at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome later this week to discuss the resumption of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, Politico reported on July 7.

Following the talks between Kellogg and Umerov in Rome, Politico reported that more meetings are set to take place in Kyiv over the next two weeks.

The United States halted weapons shipments to Ukraine amid a capability review, the White House and Pentagon previously confirmed, with U.S. President Donald Trump on July 3 denying the pause.

Days later, Trump said that the United States would provide Ukraine with additional shipments of weapons amid intensified Russian attacks.

"We're gonna send some more weapons we have to them, they have to be able to defend themselves, they're getting hit very hard now," Trump said on July 7.

The halted U.S. military assistance to Ukraine could be resumed following planned high-level meetings at the conference, two people familiar with the matter told Politico.

A Kyiv meeting between Kellogg and Umerov following the Ukraine Recovery Conference was planned before the U.S. halted military assistance to Ukraine.

Kellogg's spokesperson Morgan Murphy said the meeting was "set up before news of the arms pause came to light last week."

Ukraine would like to promptly resume supplies of air defense and precision munitions, while the U.S. has signalled that the delivery of armored vehicles and engineering equipment may resume soon, the two sources said.

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The Kyiv IndependentLiliane Bivings

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed on July 2 that some military assistance to Ukraine has been halted as the U.S. Defense Department conducts a review of foreign aid deliveries.

"This capability review... is being conducted to ensure U.S. military aid aligns with our defense priorities... We see this as a common-sense, pragmatic step towards having a framework to evaluate what munitions are sent and where," Parnell said.

Despite the Pentagon announcement, Trump did not acknowledge a halt in U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine.

"Why did you pause weapons shipments to Ukraine?" a reporter asked Trump as the U.S. president prepared to board Air Force One on July 3.

"We haven't," Trump replied. "We're giving weapons."

The Ukraine Recovery Conference is set to take place July 10-11, with leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, set to attend.

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The Kyiv IndependentLiliane Bivings

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg denied on July 1 that he agreed to "work on" halting Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia, contradicting Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's claim.

Speaking at a state event on Belarus's Independence Day, Lukashenko said he relayed Russian President Vladimir Putin's position to Kellogg during their June 21 meeting in Minsk.

According to Lukashenko, the Russian president is willing to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces stop conducting drone strikes on Russian territory.

"I conveyed this position to the Americans," Lukashenko said on July 1. "We will work on it, said (the U.S. special envoy), in this direction."

Kellogg pushed back on the claim, writing on X that the quote was "taken out of context" and misrepresented the substance of their talks.

"At no point did I make comments related to Ukraine's prosecution of the war outside of a total ceasefire," he said. "In my conversation with Lukashenko, we discussed a full and unconditional ceasefire."

The June meeting between Kellogg and Lukashenko marked the highest-level U.S. visit to Belarus since former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 trip. Belarusian state media widely portrayed Kellogg's visit as a sign of thawing relations.

Shortly after the talks, Belarus released opposition leader and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who had been jailed since the 2020 presidential election.

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and remains a key ally of the Kremlin. His regime has allowed Russian troops and equipment to use Belarusian territory to attack Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Military aid delays will ‘encourage Russia to continue war,’ Ukraine tells US envoy

Ukraine warned that “any delay or hesitation in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities will only encourage Russia to continue war and terror, rather than pursue peace.”

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

U.S. Special Representative Keith Kellogg has pushed back against Russian claims that Ukraine and the United States are responsible for delaying peace negotiations, arguing that it is Moscow that continues to obstruct efforts to end the war it initiated.

"Peskov’s recent comments on the state of negotiations are Orwellian. Russian claims that it is the U.S. and Ukraine stalling peace talks are unfounded," Kellogg said on X, citing reporting by the Kyiv Independent."

"President Trump has been consistent and adamant about making progress to end the war. We urge an immediate ceasefire and a move to trilateral talks to end the war. Russia cannot continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on June 29 accused Washington and Kyiv of holding up progress, stating that future developments in peace talks depend on Ukraine’s stance, the effectiveness of U.S. mediation, and the situation on the battlefield.

“A lot depends, naturally, on the position of the Kyiv regime,” Peskov said in a televised interview with Belarus 1 TV, according to Reuters. “It depends on how effectively Washington's mediating efforts continue,” he added.

Despite those remarks, Russia has rejected a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal and continued its attacks on Ukrainian cities launching record numbers of drones against Ukrainian cities. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin openly stated that “all of Ukraine is ours,” raising further doubts about the Kremlin’s willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations.

Peskov’s interview aired as the war moves into its fourth summer with no comprehensive ceasefire in place. Although two rounds of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul this year—on May 16 and June 2—the discussions have not led to any breakthrough on ending hostilities.

While the Istanbul meetings led to notable prisoner exchanges, they produced no tangible progress toward peace.

Smashing previous monthly record, Russia launches 5,337 kamikaze drones against Ukraine during June

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The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Editor's note: This item has been expanded with additional details.

Belarusian opposition leader and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski was released on June 21, shortly after dictator Alexander Lukashenko met in Minsk with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.

Tsikhanouski , a popular blogger who planned to challenge Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested shortly before the vote and later sentenced to 18 years in prison on politically motivated charges. Amnesty International recognized Tsikhanouski as a prisoner of conscience.

His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, stepped in and became the main opposition candidate against Lukashenko.

At least 13 political detainees, including prominent blogger Ihar Losik, were also released on June 21, Belarusian independent outlet Nasha Niva reported.

The other released prisoners include three Polish citizens, two Latvian citizens, one Estonian citizen, a Swedish citizen, a U.S. citizen, and two Japanese citizens, according to Lukashenko's press secretary.

In a post on social media, Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the news but highlighted that "1,150 political prisoners remain behind bars."

Kellogg's deputy, John Coale, said the released political prisoners had been transferred to Vilnius and expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian government for facilitating their relocation.

"President Trump's strong leadership led to the release of 14 prisoners from Belarus today. Thanks to the Lithuanian government for its cooperation and assistance — they remain a true friend and ally," Coale wrote on X.

According to official results of the 2020 election, Lukashenko won with 80% of the vote, while Tsikhanouskaya received just 10%. Evidence indicates that the election was heavily rigged, and Tsikhanouskaya could have realistically won the vote.

As a result, hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Belarus in 2020 to demand a fair election. Thousands were arrested, and many were beaten and tortured. At least seven demonstrators were killed during the protests.

Minsk has faced repeated Western sanctions since the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Lukashenko, in power since 1994, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations against Ukraine.

"You have caused quite a stir in the world with your arrival," Lukashenko told Kellogg during their meeting at the Palace of Independence, according to state-run outlet Belta.

"But I wonder why. Can't we have a normal dialogue and talk about our affairs – about relations between Belarus and the United States of America?"

Kellogg is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Belarus in recent years, following former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 trip under Trump's first term.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lukashenko's regime has played a key logistical role in supporting Moscow's campaign, offering its territory for troop deployments and weapons stockpiles.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg will meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the coming days, Reuters reported on June 17, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

Kellogg will meet Lukashenko in a visit to Belarus as peace talks to bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine remain inconclusive, Reuters reported.

In February, U.S. Deputy Assistant State Secretary Christopher W. Smith visited Belarus alongside two other U.S. officials to conduct a prisoner swap in a similar unannounced visit.

Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and has been accused of staging fraudulent elections in Belarus. The leader declared a seventh consecutive presidential election victory in January.

Kellogg has given the impression that the meeting could help reinitiate largely unsuccessful peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, two sources told Reuters.

Lukashenko is seen as a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russia faces isolation in response to its full-scale war against Ukraine.

The White House has discussed ways to weaken Russia's influence on Minsk and bring Belarus closer to the United States, one of the sources said.

On Feb. 12, Smith drove to Belarus from Lithuania following a phone call with Lukashenko. The small U.S. delegation visited a border town where three political prisoners were transferred, including one U.S. citizen and two Belarusian citizens, the New York Times reported.

Lukashenko assured he was ready to decrease repression in Belarus, Smith said, adding that the U.S. wants Belarus to be less reliant on Russia.

Belarus has faced Western sanctions following a presidential election in 2020 that international observers condemned as fraudulent. The sham election garnered mass protests that rejected the results.

Minsk refused to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country's Jan. 26 presidential election.

Belarus further isolated itself from the West as it supports Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

‘He said he wasn’t going anywhere’ — Survivors search for missing following Russia’s deadliest attack on Kyiv this year

Sitting a few meters from the rubble of what used to be a nondescript nine-story residential building in Kyiv, Lilia rises to her feet every time another pile of debris is cleared from the site targeted by Russia during a mass overnight attack on June 17. “We are waiting (as

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova