Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared that United States support is "critically important" for Ukraine's war effort, while expressing confusion regarding President Donald Trump's stance on peace negotiations. Speaking to Sky News, Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion, stressed that having Washington on Ukraine's side is "life important."
He argued that US support for Ukraine, Europe's largest country, is essential for regional stability. When asked about trusting President Trump, Klitschko paused, stating, "I try to trust him, but sometimes I don’t understand clearly the messages from President Trump regarding peace in Ukraine." He insisted that any peace deal must not be a "capitulation agreement."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed dissatisfaction with recent US-brokered peace talks, stating that "meaningful progress" was insufficient and that sensitive political matters had not been adequately addressed.
Intelligence chiefs in Europe believe Russia is not seeking a swift end to the war but rather using peace talks to push for sanctions relief and business deals, aiming to achieve its strategic goals.
In related military actions, Kyiv reported striking an industrial site deep inside Russia that manufactured ballistic missiles. Governor Alexander Brechalov confirmed "damage and injuries" from drone attacks. Russia, in turn, launched 120 drones and one ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, with Odesa experiencing damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, resulting in two injuries.