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Ukraine's foreign minister announced Tuesday that Kyiv is prepared for leadership-level peace negotiations involving the United States and Russia, as both countries reported extensive overnight drone attacks that underscored the war's continued escalation.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed Ukraine's openness to a trilateral meeting during a conference call with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio and seven European foreign ministers focused on security guarantees for Ukraine.
"Ukraine is ready to take the next steps towards peace. We are ready for meetings at the leadership level in any format and geographical location," Sybiha said, according to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry. "We are ready to end the killings and give diplomacy a chance."
The diplomatic push comes as the conflict enters its fourth year, with President Donald Trump's administration seeking to broker an end to the war that has reshaped European security and global geopolitics.
Sybiha expressed gratitude to Rubio "for his efforts" and to Trump "for his peacemaking leadership," building on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent visit to Washington and ongoing discussions between national security advisors.
The multilateral call included foreign ministers from Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, reflecting continued Western coordination on Ukraine policy under the new U.S. administration.
Ukraine's willingness to engage diplomatically comes with firm conditions. Sybiha emphasized that any security guarantees must be "specific, legally binding, and effective," spanning military, diplomatic and legal dimensions.
"We all share the belief that the Ukrainian army is a fundamental element of any such guarantees, so its maximum strengthening is our top priority," he said.
The foreign minister also warned Moscow of escalating consequences for rejecting peace negotiations, including "significantly increased sanctions and the strengthening of Ukraine's capabilities."
Even as diplomatic channels remained active, both sides reported major drone operations that highlighted the war's ongoing intensity.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russian forces launched 59 Shahed drones and simulator UAVs from multiple directions Monday evening, with Ukrainian defenses downing or suppressing 47 aircraft by Tuesday morning.
Twelve drone strikes hit nine locations, with the northeastern Sumy region bearing the brunt of damage. Local rescuers described "a massive attack on the Sumy and Bezdrytsk communities" that sparked large-scale fires requiring emergency response at three sites simultaneously.
Russia's Defense Ministry countered that its air defenses intercepted 43 Ukrainian drones across six regions between midnight and 6:10 a.m. Tuesday, including Volgograd, Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk and Pskov. Eight additional Ukrainian drones were reportedly destroyed over Crimea later in the morning.
Rodion Miroshnik, Russia's Foreign Ministry ambassador-at-large, told state-run Tass news agency that Ukrainian strikes killed 19 people and injured more than 120 over the past week, with the Belgorod region suffering the highest casualties. Ukraine did not immediately respond to the Russian casualty claims.
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