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The Ukrainian Air Force reported a significant drone barrage from Russia early Sunday morning, with a total of 149 drones launched into Ukrainian territory. The attacks took place just hours after President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City. The drones targeted six regions of Ukraine, including Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Donetsk, Sumy, and Cherkasy.
According to a Telegram post from Ukraine’s air force, 57 of the drones were successfully intercepted and shot down. Additionally, 67 drones were lost in flight. The damage caused by the drones, while not detailed in full, affected the aforementioned regions, further exacerbating the country’s ongoing struggles amid the Russian invasion.
Russian Missile and Drone Attacks on Ukraine Continue
In a follow-up post, Ukraine’s air force detailed that over the previous week, Russia launched 48 missiles and 442 attack drones against Ukraine. This continuing barrage is part of Moscow’s ongoing military campaign against its neighbor, which began over three years ago.
In contrast, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that its forces had downed eight Ukrainian drones overnight, highlighting the ongoing nature of the aerial conflict between the two countries.
Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting in Vatican City, Discuss Ukraine War
The drone strikes coincided with a highly significant meeting between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on April 26, 2025. This meeting, which took place in a symbolic setting amid efforts for peace, followed White House efforts to mediate a ceasefire and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. The ongoing invasion by Russia is a culmination of more than a decade of Russian cross-border aggression, with the situation now entering its third year.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy as “very productive,” signaling positive discussions despite the tense military situation on the ground.
Zelenskyy Describes Meeting as “Good”
President Zelenskyy shared his reflections on the meeting in a post to X, calling the discussions “good” and emphasizing the importance of their talks. He said, “We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.” He also described the meeting as “very symbolic” with the potential to become “historic” if the joint efforts lead to meaningful results.
Trump Criticizes Putin Over Civilian Attacks in Ukraine
After the meeting, Trump publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemning the recent missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, including the deadly ballistic missile strike on Kyiv that took place late last week. Trump expressed his frustration, saying, “There’s no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns, over the last few days.”
He continued, “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Trump Calls for High-Level Negotiations
The Vatican meeting came just days after Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held talks with Putin in Moscow on Friday. Ahead of that meeting, Trump suggested that significant progress had been made in discussions between Russia and Ukraine. In a post on his social media platform, he wrote, “They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’”
Trump emphasized that most of the major points had been agreed upon, calling for an immediate end to the bloodshed. “Stop the bloodshed, NOW,” he wrote. “We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!” However, Trump did not provide any further specifics about the progress of these negotiations.
