Zelenskyy says Ukraine's drone strikes will continue until Russia halts offensive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the drone attack on Russia will “continue” unless Moscow halts its offensive.

Speaking to reporters after the latest round of US-brokered peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, Zelenskyy hailed the drone strike and described it as a “strategic operation” that weakened Russia’s military capability. The attack, which targeted Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, took place just a day before the talks.

“This is happening on daily basis,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Russia’s ongoing assaults, including a recent overnight attack using more than 480 drones. “Unless they will stop, we will continue.”
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When asked whether the drone operation would shift the dynamics of the war or provoke Russia, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was not concerned about whether Russia is “enraged,” stressing that Moscow continues its attacks regardless.

Zelenskyy also addressed the role of the US in the peace process. “We are looking for very strong steps on the part of President Trump to support the sanctions and to force President Putin to stop this war, or at least proceed with the first stage of putting an end to this war — that is the ceasefire,” he said.

Monday’s meeting in Istanbul marked the first direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian delegations since May 2022. The talks, held at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace, lasted just over an hour.

Ukrainian defense minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that both sides agreed to exchange all severely wounded and ill prisoners of war, as well as the bodies of thousands of fallen soldiers. They also discussed the possibility of a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine is calling for a 30-day ceasefire to create space for peace negotiations. However, Russia has rejected the proposal, with President Putin sticking to the same broad war goals he declared at the start of the invasion.