390 Drones Disrupt the Scene: War Messages Precede Trump-Zelensky Talks
A total of 390 drones targeted the Moscow region on Monday night into Tuesday, just ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents in Washington, amid reports of initiatives aimed at easing tensions.
More than 390 drones attacked the Moscow region overnight, the mayor of the Russian capital announced on Tuesday. According to the authorities, residential buildings were damaged in the attack, which came shortly before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House.
“More than 390 drones headed toward the Moscow region,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, adding that “most of them were shot down long before reaching the city.” He also reported that “81 enemy drones were shot down as they approached Moscow.”
The governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, also reported on the same platform that a residential building and several homes had been damaged, with no casualties reported so far.
The attack came just hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House on Tuesday to hold talks with Donald Trump and make another attempt to secure the U.S. president’s support in confronting Russia.
U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine have stalled in recent months, as Washington has shifted its focus toward its war with Iran.
The Trump-Zelensky meeting could take on particular significance as U.S. and Ukrainian officials discuss a proposal for an aerial ceasefire—covering aircraft, drones, and missiles—to be presented to Russian officials as part of a new set of peace proposals aimed at ending the war that began in 2022.
Zelensky, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday and is scheduled to attend a memorial ceremony for Senator Lindsey Graham, said that ballistic missile defense and strategic cooperation with the United States represented the “top priority” in his meetings with Trump and his team.
A week earlier, Zelensky had discussed with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner the prospects for resuming peace talks with Russia. He said at the time that Ukrainian and U.S. officials could meet in the United States in the near future.
