Ukraine urges allies to act as major attacks hit ahead of new talks

You are watching Ukraine enter a new round of peace talks just as some of the heaviest recent strikes hit its cities and energy grid. As missiles fall and sirens sound, Ukrainian leaders are pressing you and other allies to move faster on weapons, money, and long-term guarantees so that diplomacy is backed by hard power. The pressure on you is simple and stark: either you help Ukraine change the battlefield calculus now, or you accept that any deal reached at the table could be written under the shadow of continued attacks.

Escalating strikes on the eve of talks

You are entering a diplomatic moment framed by a surge in Russian firepower rather than a lull in fighting. A detailed Russian Offensive Campaign describes how Russian forces carried out another large, combined strike package against Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight in Feb, using a mix of cruise missiles, drones, and other munitions. That assessment treats the attacks not as isolated salvos but as part of a sustained effort to grind down Ukrainian resilience just as negotiators gather.

You also see confirmation from Ukrainian diplomats abroad that russia attacked many Ukrainian regions with a massive strike on the night of 17 Feb, a barrage that targeted energy facilities and other critical sites across the country. In a public message, the embassy stressed that these were deliberate, massive attacks and assaults, language that underscores how Ukrainian officials want you to read the timing of the strikes. When you combine the Assessment with the embassy’s account that russia attacked many Ukrainian regions, you are left with a clear picture: the Kremlin is testing how much punishment Ukraine can absorb while still being pushed toward compromise in Geneva.

How the latest barrage hit civilians and infrastructure

You are not just looking at military targets on a map; you are seeing how these strikes land in ordinary lives. Earlier in Feb, residents of major cities described how renewed night attacks forced them back into metro stations and basements, with one woman, Tetyana, saying she could not imagine that in such cold weather they could hit residential buildings, after a strike near Dnipro damaged homes and left families scrambling for shelter. That testimony, captured in footage of people crowding underground platforms, gives you a sense of what it means when Russian forces resume night strikes on major Ukrainian cities and turn the winter sky into a source of fear instead of light.

You also hear Ukrainian officials describe how the latest combined strike package focused on energy infrastructure, hitting power facilities and transmission nodes that keep hospitals, factories, and apartment blocks functioning. The claim that russia in a single night tells you that this was not a limited demonstration but a broad attempt to stretch air defenses and emergency services thin. When power grids go down, you see ripple effects in water supply, internet access, and industrial production, which in turn shape how much leverage Ukraine has at the table and how urgently it needs your support.

Kyiv’s message: support now, not after the deal

You are hearing a sharper tone from Kyiv as Ukrainian leaders argue that you cannot separate battlefield support from the Geneva talks. In public comments, Zelenskyy has warned that The US is putting too much pressure on Kyiv and not enough on Moscow, telling you that Ukraine’s patience with a peace push that leans on concessions is wearing thin. According to that account, Zelenskyy insists that any arrangement that locks in Russian control of Ukrainian territory or rewards continued shelling will not be accepted by Ukrainians, and he frames your decisions on weapons and sanctions as the real test of whether the West is serious about peace.

You also see specific financial demands that underline how concrete Kyiv’s expectations have become. In a briefing to partners, Ukraine tells allies it needs $14.5bn more to fight Russian aerial terror, a figure that covers purchases of US-made air defense systems and other equipment from NATO members. When you read that Ukraine is asking for $14.5 from NATO allies to counter Russian attacks, you are being told that without this additional layer of protection, every new round of talks will take place under the threat of more missiles. For Kyiv, your ability to close that funding gap is not a side issue but a core condition for any durable agreement.

Inside the Geneva talks: pressure on both sides

You are watching negotiators in Geneva try to move from broad principles to specific tradeoffs while the war rages on. Reports from the venue say the formal part of the talks has already addressed territory in Ukraine’s east and the fate of the Russian-occupied areas, with a spokesperson for Zelenskiy explaining that these questions sit at the heart of any settlement. At the same time, you see that Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians, even as Ukrainian officials present evidence of strikes on homes and energy infrastructure. The gap between those narratives shapes how you, as an ally, judge the credibility of Russian proposals in the room.

On the diplomatic choreography, you are told that Military officials participating in trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and Russia and the US have described incremental but significant progress on some security issues. Yet another account notes that In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Russia’s negotiating team would brief President Vladimir Putin on the talks and accept further instructions, a reminder that final decisions remain tightly controlled. When you read that Ukraine and Russia and the US are all represented while the Kremlin keeps a close grip through Dmitry Peskov and President Vladimir Putin, you can see why Kyiv feels both the opportunity and the risk of this format.

Ukraine pushes for new February talks while Russia stalls

You are also seeing how the calendar itself has become a point of contention. Ukrainian officials have pushed for new February peace talks and have publicly accused Russia of dragging its feet, warning that each delay gives Russian forces more time to entrench in occupied areas. One detailed account describes how Russia stalls once again as Ukraine pushes for new February peace talks, with Kyiv signaling that it stands ready to send negotiators as soon as Moscow agrees. For you, that pattern suggests that Ukraine is trying to keep the diplomatic track moving even while it absorbs fresh attacks.

From your perspective, the stalling is not just about scheduling but about leverage. The report on Russia in Feb frames Moscow’s hesitation as a tactic to wait out Western unity and test whether you will sustain aid at current levels. Ukraine, by contrast, is trying to show you that it is the side seeking both battlefield resilience and diplomatic engagement. If you accept that reading, then your own timing on sanctions decisions, weapons deliveries, and financial packages becomes part of the pressure campaign to break the deadlock.

Missiles in the air as negotiators sit down

You are confronted with a jarring image: missiles in flight while delegations exchange talking points. Before the latest negotiations, Ukraine accused Russia of undermining peace efforts by launching 29 missiles and 3 drones at Ukrainian cities, a salvo that Ukrainian officials said was clearly timed to coincide with the opening of a new round in Geneva. Descriptions of how Both sides trade fire around the front lines while diplomats meet remind you that there is no ceasefire in place, and that every day at the table is also a day of casualties at the front.

The sense of contradiction is heightened by reports that Ukraine urges allies to act as Russia launches a mass attack before talks, with Deadly Russian strikes hitting Ukrainian regions only hours before negotiators gathered. In one account, Ukraine, in the words of Serge Duchêne, called on Ukraine’s partners to respond to the mass attack and to hold Moscow accountable for continued attacks, highlighting how the government sees your reaction as a signal to the Kremlin. When you see that Tue in Feb, at around 1:11 p.m. UTC, those appeals were going out in real time as sirens sounded, you can understand why Kyiv argues that deterrence and diplomacy cannot be separated.

Security guarantees and Paris negotiations

You are also being asked to look beyond the immediate ceasefire terms to what happens the day after any agreement. In PARIS, Ukraine’s allies said Tuesday that they had made major progress toward agreeing on how to defend the country if a peace deal is reached, discussing a framework of defense guarantees meant to deter Moscow from attacking its neighbor again. The description of allies working on plans that would deter Moscow from attacking its neighbor again tells you that they are thinking of security in layers, from air defenses to training and intelligence sharing, rather than a single treaty clause.

In a related track, Ukraine’s allies said Tuesday they had agreed to provide the country with multilayered international defense guarantees as part of a broader peace proposal, a plan that would respond to Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion of its neighbor with long-term commitments instead of short-term pledges. When you read that PARIS discussions focus on multilayered security guarantees for Ukraine, you can see how your own government might be asked to contribute specific assets, whether that is a rotation of air defense batteries, joint exercises, or funding for rapid reinforcement. For Kyiv, these guarantees are the shield that must sit behind any political compromise on paper.

Geneva dynamics: what each side wants you to accept

You are watching Geneva become the arena where competing narratives about responsibility and compromise are tested on you and other observers. Detailed reports explain that the talks have entered a second day with pressure on Kyiv to show flexibility, even as Ukraine remains dissatisfied with what its negotiators describe as difficult discussions. One account notes that a spokesperson for Zelenskiy said the formal part of the talks had addressed territory in Ukraine’s east and the fate of the Russian-held areas, while Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. That combination is meant to persuade you that Ukraine is engaging on the core issues while still facing attacks that violate basic humanitarian norms.

At the same time, you see that In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has framed Russia’s approach as constructive, saying that Russia’s negotiating team would brief President Vladimir Putin and await further instructions, a reminder that the Kremlin wants you to view it as the responsible actor. The detailed Geneva coverage also explains that Kyiv’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, faces intense scrutiny at home over any hint of concession. For you, the question is whether you accept the idea that both sides are making comparable efforts, or whether the pattern of strikes and stalling leads you to place the burden more heavily on Moscow.

What Ukraine is asking you to do next

You are being presented with a clear to-do list from Kyiv as the talks continue and the attacks persist. Ukrainian leaders are urging you to accelerate air defense deliveries, close funding gaps such as the $14.5bn request for countering Russian aerial terror, and lock in multilayered guarantees that would survive changes of government in The US and Europe. In their view, every delay in meeting those requests invites more Russian testing of Ukrainian energy infrastructure and more nights when russia attacked many Ukrainian regions with combined strikes, as described by both the embassy statements and the Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment.

You also see a political argument aimed directly at your sense of responsibility. Zelenskyy has said that The US is putting too much pressure on Kyiv and not enough on Moscow, and Ukrainian commentators have echoed the idea that allies should focus less on nudging Ukraine toward compromise and more on tightening the cost for Russia. When you connect that criticism with accounts from PARIS that some Western focus is already shifting to issues like Venezuela, and with reports that progress for Ukraine talks in Paris is uncertain as attention drifts, you are being warned that distraction carries a price. The warning about shifting suggests that if you want a peace that lasts longer than a news cycle, you will need to treat Ukraine’s security as a standing commitment rather than a temporary emergency.

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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.