'Deliberate Crime & Prolongation of War': Zelenskyy Reacts To Russian Strikes on Ukraine After Rejecting Putin's Proposal For Moscow Meet

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned Russian strikes on multiple Ukrainian cities, which damaged residential areas, ignited a fire in Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers building, killed at least three people, including a child, and injured dozens.

In a post on X, he detailed the destruction: "Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes – more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including 4 ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus."

"In Kyiv, ordinary residential buildings have been destroyed. In one of them, the floors between the 4th and 8th stories have collapsed...The Cabinet of Ministers building was damaged – a fire broke out on the upper floors. More than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged in Zaporizhzhia. Warehouses were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih,...A residential high-rise was hit in Odesa. Many regions have been affected over the past day. Our emergency services are working everywhere they are needed," his post added.

He claimed these are deliberate attempts to prolong the war by avoiding diplomatic solutions to the crisis.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war. It has been repeatedly said in Washington that sanctions will follow a refusal to talk. We must implement everything that was agreed in Paris. We also count on the implementation of all the agreements to strengthen our air defense. Every additional system saves civilians from these vile strikes," Zelenskyy said in his post.

Zelenskyy urged international allies to maintain pressure on Moscow and follow through on commitments to strengthen Ukraine's air defence, referencing past agreements made in Paris and statements from Washington promising sanctions for failure to engage in peace efforts.

"The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings – all that is needed is political will," Zelenskyy said in his X post.

He  also expressed gratitude to the countries assisting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict and reiterated the urgent need for enhanced air defence capabilities.

"I thank everyone who is helping," he said.

The fresh strikes on Ukraine comes days after Zelenskyy rejected his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's suggestion to meet in Moscow, calling the choice of such an unrealistic meeting place a sign that Russia is not genuinely interested in negotiations.

The Ukrainian leader said in an interview with US media, "I can't go to the capital of this terrorist" because Ukraine is "under missile attacks, under fire every day".

"(Putin) can come to Kyiv," Zelensky said in response, as quoted by EuroNews.

US President Donald Trump has been pushing for face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. A bilateral or trilateral meeting was one of the main goals of Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska last month.

Trump later said Putin and Zelenskyy would meet after the Ukrainian president visits Washington and talks with European leaders, but Moscow has been putting additional conditions on the table, stalling a decision and stepping up shelling of Ukrainian cities.
This week, Putin said he was "ready" to meet with Zelenskyy, but in Moscow. On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained that Zelenskyy had been invited to the Russian capital "to talk, not to capitulate," as per EuroNews.

The day before, speaking in Paris after the summit of the "coalition of the resolute," Zelenskyy commented on Putin's invitation.
"I believe that if you want the meeting not to take place, you should invite me to Moscow," Zelenskyy said, adding that the fact that the Russian leadership voiced any options for a personal meeting at all is an accomplishment on its own, as per EuroNews.

On Saturday, Zelenskyy wrote on social media that Russia launched more than 1,300 drones, nearly 900 guided bombs and some 50 missiles of various types at Ukraine during the first five days of September.

He said the strikes hit 14 regions of the country, as per EuroNews.

"Something will happen, but they are not ready yet... We're going to do it," Trump told US media the same day, without specifying any timeline for talks that Washington would find acceptable, EuroNews reported. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Also Read: 'Mocking Diplomacy, Trampling International Law, Killing...': EU Commission President Shreds Russia For Fresh Strikes On Ukraine