By Mark Tanos
Russia fired 48 drones into Ukraine overnight Saturday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to North America for high-stakes diplomatic talks.
Ukraine’s air force said it shot down or suppressed 30 of the drones, ABC News reported. Eighteen struck targets across nine locations throughout the country.
The attack capped an intense week of Russian strikes. Ukrainian air force data shows Russia launched at least 1,810 drones and missiles over the past seven days.
Zelenskyy posted on X Sunday morning that Russia fired “over 2,100 attack drones, around 800 guided aerial bombs, and 94 missiles of various types” against Ukraine in the past week alone. (RELATED: Zelenskyy Goes To Berlin To Tell US Envoys What He Expects From Peace Deal)
These are some of the most active diplomatic days of the year right now, and a lot can be decided before the New Year. We are doing everything toward this, but whether decisions will be made depends on our partners – those who help Ukraine, and those who put pressure on Russia so… pic.twitter.com/GuKwkBM0Nr
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 28, 2025
The Ukrainian president met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday. He is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
“These are some of the most active diplomatic days of the year right now, and a lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We are doing everything toward this, but whether decisions will be made depends on our partners.”
Zelenskyy told journalists Saturday that Ukraine can only pursue peace with strong legal security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe. He said Ukraine has agreed to “many different compromises” but stressed those only make sense if the country receives full protection after any ceasefire.
“If the whole world — Europe and America — is on our side, together we will stop Putin,” Zelenskyy said. “If anyone — whether the U.S. or Europe — is on Russia’s side, this means the war will continue.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the West is offering Ukraine favorable conditions but suggested Kyiv does not want a peaceful settlement.
Zelenskyy said Russia’s continued attacks show “the real attitude of Putin and his entourage. They don’t want to end the war and are trying to use every opportunity to inflict more pain on Ukraine.”
Ukraine launched its own strikes into Russia overnight Sunday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed at least 25 Ukrainian drones. Russia’s federal air transport agency reported temporary flight restrictions at airports in Samara, Ulyanovsk, Penza, Yaroslavl and Kaluga.
