Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday denounced a large-scale Russian overnight attack involving 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones, which left three people dead and dozens wounded across Kyiv and surrounding areas.

In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky expressed condolences for the victims and stressed that the strikes once again targeted critical energy infrastructure and civilian properties.

“Emergency services are working at all impact sites,” he said, emphasizing the urgent need to secure more air-defense missiles. “We must not waste a single day to ensure our air defense systems have enough missiles.”

The president also urged European partners to take decisive action regarding Russian assets frozen in Europe, warning that Moscow will continue its drone and missile assaults unless stronger measures are taken.

“We must speak with all partners about the steps needed to end this war,” Zelensky added.

The wave of Russian strikes—beginning Friday night and extending into Saturday morning—coincided with renewed diplomatic activities aimed at ending the nearly three-year conflict.

Next week, Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, is scheduled to visit Moscow, while another Trump envoy, Dran Driscoll, is expected in Kyiv for parallel discussions.

The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported widespread outages caused by the strikes, with more than 500,000 people in Kyiv, over 100,000 in the wider Kyiv region, and around 8,000 in the Kharkiv region left without electricity on Saturday morning. Repair crews are working to restore power but continue to face significant dangers due to ongoing air alerts.

Zelensky confirmed that a Ukrainian negotiating team, led by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, departed for the United States to further discuss Washington’s proposed plan to end the war.

“The task is clear,” Zelensky said. “To quickly and substantially define the necessary steps to stop the war.”

He added that Ukraine is working with the United States in “the most constructive way possible,” expressing hope that the diplomatic progress made in recent Geneva meetings would advance further in Washington.

“I look forward to the report of our delegation after its work this Sunday. Ukraine is working for a dignified peace,” he stated.

The U.S. proposal—released last week and initially welcomed by the Kremlin for accommodating several of Moscow’s key demands—has already undergone modifications following consultations among U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials.

On November 23, representatives from Ukraine, the United States, and Europe met in Geneva to negotiate adjustments to the plan. Following the talks, Kyiv and Washington agreed to continue working together on joint proposals for a potential peace agreement.

As both battlefield conditions and diplomatic engagements intensify, Ukraine faces what may become a decisive phase in efforts to bring the conflict to an end. (ILKHA)