Key facts
- Ukraine expects European partners to join upcoming talks with the US.
- Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to hold talks in the US on Friday and Saturday.
- Ukrainian negotiators planned to raise air defense needs.
- Ukraine has mirrored Russian attacks on data centers.
- A Ukrainian drone attack hit a Yandex data center.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Thursday that Ukraine anticipates its European partners will join upcoming discussions with the United States regarding the ongoing conflict with Russia. Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to hold talks in the US on Friday and Saturday as part of US-led efforts to find a settlement to the war.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskiy indicated that the Ukrainian delegation would address the need for air defense systems in response to persistent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, which have resulted in over 70 fatalities in the preceding two days.
Zelenskiy also stated that Ukraine has adopted a "mirror-like fashion" approach to attacks on data centers, referencing a strike on a facility operated by the Russian technology company Yandex. "We always respond in mirror-like fashion," Zelenskiy said. "You all know, they have been hitting and continue to hit our data centres. We are responding. I can't share all the details."
Yandex confirmed on Thursday that it could not yet ascertain whether equipment at a data center targeted by a Ukrainian drone strike was salvageable.