President Volodymyr Zelensky, arriving in Washington on 18/8 to meet with President Donald Trump, took to social media to denounce Russia's actions. "This is a calculated and provocative attack by Russia," Zelensky wrote. "They know that the meeting to discuss ending the conflict is taking place today in the capital, Washington."

Earlier, the Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 140 drones and Iskander-M ballistic missiles, targeting dozens of locations in the Donetsk, Kharkov, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, and Kyiv provinces. Dozens of drones and 4 Iskander-M missiles penetrated Ukrainian air defenses, resulting in at least 7 deaths and 20 injuries.

Kharkov Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported the casualties included a one-and-a-half-year-old girl and a 16-year-old. The youngest injured victim was a 6-year-old.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, Belgium, on 17/8. Photo: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, Belgium, on 17/8. Photo: AP

President Zelensky and several European leaders are scheduled to discuss strategies for ending the conflict with President Trump. Trump previously announced abandoning efforts for a quick ceasefire in Ukraine, opting instead to pursue a more comprehensive peace agreement, which would necessitate more extensive negotiations.

Zelensky accused Russia of continuing attacks to "maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, and to undermine diplomatic efforts". He added, "That's why we are seeking support to end these attacks."

Russia has not yet commented on Zelensky's statement. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated the attack targeted Ukrainian military assets, destroying a significant amount of equipment.

Before meeting with Zelensky, Trump declared that Ukraine reclaiming the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, or joining NATO, were both impossible. He also urged Ukraine to quickly reach an agreement with Russia to end the conflict. Trump added, "Russia is a powerful country, and Ukraine is not."

Ngoc Anh (Reuters, AFP)