Kiev, Sept 9: Ukrainian officials led 60 foreign diplomats on a tour of damaged government offices in Kyiv, following Russia’s largest aerial attack on Ukraine since its invasion began over three years ago.The attack involved over 800 drones and decoys and occurred as months of US-led peace efforts appeared to be getting nowhere. Four people were killed as drones hit apartment buildings, and a plume of smoke rose from the capital’s main government building. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko called the attack a “clear signal that Russia does not want peace and is openly mocking the diplomatic efforts of the civilized world.”
US President Donald Trump has shrunk from imposing more sanctions on Russia despite its onslaught and blamed both sides in the war for the ongoing fighting.Trump said he expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the next couple of days and acknowledged that the conflict had proved harder to resolve than he anticipated.
Ukraine and European leaders are urging Washington to step up economic sanctions on Russia, whose war economy depends largely on crude oil exports and on countries which buy its products.
A team of European officials, led by European Union sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan, will visit the US Treasury on Monday to discuss various forms of economic pressure to exert on Russia, including new sanctions. Ukraine is unlikely to get any relief soon from the overnight bombardments, as Russia tries to grind down Ukrainians’ appetite for the war.