Despite U.S.-led negotiations in Saudi Arabia last month, Russia has continued its bombardment of Ukraine, and last week, a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky's hometown, killed at least 18 people, including nine children.

Ukraine launched a major overnight drone attack on Russia, disrupting flights early on Wednesday in the southern part of the country and forcing the evacuation of residents from dozens of apartments in the Rostov region,