KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, killed at least two people in the early hours of Saturday, local officials said. The attacks came just before a second round ofpeace negotiationswas set to begin, as a renewed U.S.-led push to end the war gathers steam this week.
Writing on its official Telegram channel, the Kyiv City Military Administration said two people were killed in the strikes.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 29 people were wounded, noting that falling debris from intercepted Russian drones hit residential buildings. He also said the western part of Kyiv had lost power.
The latest assault on Kyiv came as Ukrainian peace negotiators are due to meet their U.S. counterparts in America this weekend, according to an official in Ukraine's presidential administration who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
A U.S. delegation is then expected to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the second half of next week.
U.S. President DonaldTrump last week released a planfor ending the nearly four-year war. The 28-point proposalheavily favored Russia, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to quickly engage with American negotiators. European leaders, fearing for their own future in the face ofRussian aggression, scrambled to steer the negotiations toward accommodating their concerns.
Trump said Tuesday that his plan to end the war had been"fine-tuned"and that he'ssending envoy Steve Witkoff to Russiato meet with Putin andArmy Secretary Dan Driscollto meet with Ukrainian officials. He suggested he could eventually meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, but not until further progress has been made in negotiations.
Zelenskyyannounced Friday theresignationof his powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, who was also the country's lead negotiator intalks with the U.S, afteranti-corruptioninvestigators searched Yermak's residence.
Theunprecedented searchat the heart of Ukraine's government wasa blow to the Ukrainian leader,risking the disruption of his negotiating strategy at a time when Kyiv is under intense U.S. pressure to sign a peace deal.
Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine