Russia launches missile, drone barrage at Ukraine as peace talks stall

Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks, officials reported on Thursday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow was “hesitating” about another round of US-brokered talks on stopping the fighting.Washington has proposed further negotiations next week between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Miami or Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, which was the location of the last meeting, Zelensky said late on Wednesday.Ukraine “immediately confirmed” it would attend, he said. “So far, as I understand it, Russia is hesitating,” Zelensky told reporters in a messaging app interview late Wednesday.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that another round of talks was expected “soon”, but gave no further details.American officials made no comment on the possibility of further talks as part of a year-long peace effort by the Trump administration. Zelensky said last week that the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal.But with Russia’s invasion of its neighbour marking its fourth anniversary later this month, disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv over key issues have held up a comprehensive settlement. The issues include who keeps the Ukrainian land that Russia’s army has so far occupied, especially in the eastern Donbas industrial heartland, and Moscow’s demands for Kyiv to surrender more territory.