Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that his conversation with Donald Trump at the Vatican last weekend ‘may have been the best we have ever had’.
‘I am confident that after our meeting in the Vatican, President Trump began to look at things a little differently,’ Zelensky told a small group of journalists, including AFP, in remarks embargoed till Saturday. ‘We’ll see. That’s his vision, his choice in any case.’
The two world leaders met face-to-face for the first time in two months at Pope Francis’ funeral, following a disastrous meeting in the White House in February – in which Zelensky was unceremoniously booted out of the seat of American power.
Washington and Kyiv have also signed a new minerals deal that will see the US invest in Ukraine’s rare earth and other deposits as it seeks to reduce military aid to the war-torn country.
Ukraine overnight staged its heaviest strikes on Russia in months, reportedly deploying British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles and kamikaze air and sea drones.
Among numerous targets by Ukraine overnight a renewed ‘attack on Putin’s £3 billion Crimean Bridge’. Storm Shadows were reportedly used against Russian naval and commercial port Novorossiysk.
Zelensky has dismissed a three-day truce ordered by Russian leader Vladimir Putin coinciding with Moscow’s World War II commemorations, but said Kyiv was ready for a full ceasefire.
Ukraine won’t be ‘playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on 9 May’ when some international leaders are expected in Moscow, Zelensky told reporters.
Massive explosions were reported across the Krasnodar region – where Vladimir Putin has several palaces – as well as Rostov region and the occupied Crimea peninsula.
Russia claimed it shot down 170 drones, 14 unmanned attack boats, eight Storm Shadows, and three Ukrainian Neptune-MD guided missiles.
It was not immediately clear how many British missiles struck targets, but it is the first time they have been reported as being used by Ukraine since Donald Trump’s January inauguration.
Among the targets – with thunderous explosions – was key Russian Black Sea port Novorossiysk, where shot down drone debris hit residential tower blocks wounding civilians including children.
Russian sources claimed Novorossiysk was attacked by Storm Shadow missiles, which – while British-supplied – needed specific US approval to use against Putin’s territory.
‘For the first time since January, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a strike with British Storm Shadow missiles on internationally recognised territory of Russia, on Novorossiysk,’ said Sergei Markov, director of Russia’s Institute of Political Studies.
‘The Ukrainian Armed Forces cannot target these missiles themselves – they need a satellite constellation, which only the United States has.
‘This apparently means that after signing the Mineral Deal with Ukraine, Trump ordered the US Army to again use the satellite constellation to target Ukrainian missiles on Russian territory.
‘This means that the US [military] is again participating in the war against Russia.
‘After coming to power, Trump ordered the US Army not to participate in strikes on Russian territory itself, so that there would be no escalation to a nuclear war.
‘And now Trump has returned to [Joe] Biden’s policy.’
Novorossiysk was also attacked by Ukrainian unmanned boats which launched FPV drones, with one Russian helicopter reportedly shot down, and the crew rescued.
The city’s public transport was crippled after the bombardment.
Taman and Kerch, which is close to the 12-mile Crimean Bridge, built by Putin and opened in 2018, were also hit.
The bridge – a key supply route to Crimea – was closed for several hours amid the attack.
Struck, too, in the blitzkrieg were Slavyansk-na-Kubani and popular Russian resort Anapa.
Russia claimed it downed 96 drones over Crimea, but did not reveal how many hit targets.
The punishing Ukrainian strikes came as evidence grew that Vladimir Putin has no intention of engaging with the month-long ceasefire demanded by the US and Ukraine.
US officials were drawing up new sanctions against Putin, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump ‘must soon decide how much more time the US will devote to ending Russia’s war against Ukraine’.
The sides remained ‘far apart’, he said.
The fresh sanctions were awaiting Trump’s approval.
Despite this, Putin – branded a ‘monster’ by Zelensky – continued his relentless assaults on Ukrainian civilians last night, striking second city Kharkiv, where 44 people were injured, including one 11-year-old child.
‘There were no military targets and there could not be,’ said Zelensky.
‘Russia is striking residential areas precisely when Ukrainians are at home, when they are putting their children to bed.
‘Only monsters can give such orders and carry them out.
‘While the world is slow to make decisions, almost every night in Ukraine turns into horror, because of which lives are lost.
‘Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence.
‘We need strong and real decisions from our partners: the United States, Europe, all our partners who strive for peace. Only force and sanctions will make Russia stop.’
Zelensky defended his fresh strikes against Russia.
He said: ‘Russia continues to refuse a full, long-term ceasefire – all partners are tired of these Russian manipulations.
‘We are defending our positions, we will act accordingly both at the front and in our actions on Russian territory.
‘The war must be felt where it came from.’
The new US sanctions – if Trump approves – would target Russia’s energy and banking sectors, including Gazprom and key financial institutions.
The package could include secondary sanctions on exports to India and China aimed at stopping Russia’s funding of the war.