Russia and Ukraine trade major attacks as Trump touts progress

Russia and Ukraine traded major attacks overnight with Moscow’s mayor saying on Thursday that 630 drones had been launched towards the region, shortly after a US envoy held talks with the Russian president in St Petersburg.

Following Wednesday’s meeting between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin, US President Donald Trump claimed the two sides were nearing a breakthrough.

“The other day I was talking to Vladimir Putin about settling his war with Ukraine, which I think we’re getting closer to, by the way – maybe now the closest we’ve been,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

The Kremlin indicated it was “in principle” open to the resumption of trilateral talks between the two sides with the United States.