NewzVille International
In a tri-lateral talks today in Abu Dhabi, the U.S. side proposed de-escalatory steps – halt to strikes against energy infrastructure and attacks on other critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today said, “Yet The strikes were seen on the railroad and other facilities. Nevertheless, there were no strikes on energy infrastructure. The Americans expected that this would hold for a week. Today, the Russians struck us with 71 missiles and 450 drones. If you look at the strike package Russia intended to use at the moment the previous negotiations in Abu Dhabi concluded, at that point, they had less of everything. What did they do? They delayed the strike, increased the number of missiles and drones, and hit us during the coldest days. So I wouldn’t say anyone presented us with a gift. I don’t think that’s what happened. They struck with a package one and a half times larger than what they could have used back then. It was a very sensible proposal: let’s show the entire world and our societies that de-escalation steps are underway. The Americans logically suggested this until the next meeting. And that’s how it should have been, so the next meeting could take place, and then the parties would continue discussing other ways to de-escalate and how we see the war ending. The meeting was postponed for reasons unrelated to Ukraine, to Wednesday–Thursday. And from our perspective, de-escalation should have continued. Yet, it has not.
Presdent Zelensky in a social media post Zelensky earlier wrote: “It is important that the Secretary General of NATO is with us in Ukraine at such a brutal moment of this war, when the Russians have once again disregarded the efforts of the American side.’
Zelensky informed that Russia carried out a record strike in terms of the use of ballistic missiles. There were 28 cruise missiles, as well as 43 missiles of various types that approach their targets along a ballistic trajectory and can be intercepted only by Patriot systems.
“This means that missiles for these systems are needed and that deliveries must be prompt. I discussed this with Mark today, and I hope we will be able to implement everything we agreed on,” he added.
