‘Massive’ Russian attack across Ukraine, says Zelensky, with four-year-old child among those killed

Surge in attacks indicates peace deal still some way offpublished at 08:53 GMT

08:53 GMT

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

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There was talk of progress after the flurry of Ukraine talks in Florida over the weekend, but on the ground the message is clear – there will be no let-up in the war.

According to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, the Americans had proposed a Christmas truce but Russia rejected the idea.

Citing intelligence reports, Zelensky reportedly warned yesterday of the risk of a massive Christmas attack involving drones and missiles between now and 25 December.

Zelensky says he expects to get a progress report today on the Florida talks with the Americans, particularly on the kinds of security guarantees the US is prepared to provide if there’s a deal.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin will also get a briefing today from his envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told Russian newspaper Izvestia the talks cannot be considered a breakthrough.

Peskov did say it was a “work process” and discussions would now move to “expert level”. But the mood doesn’t appear positive in Moscow.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov appeared to link the killing of a general in a Moscow car bomb yesterday to what he called the “political-diplomatic track”.