Russia Launches Its Largest Drone Attack Since Invasion Started, Says Ukraine

The drone strike precedes a highly anticipated call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Ukrainian officials, on May 18, Russia launched the most important and widespread drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war, leveling out the home and killing at least one woman.

The attack came a day before a serious call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, to discuss the possible ceasefire to end the war that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian intelligence agency said it believes Russia is planning to fire the intercontinental ballistic missiles later on May 18 as a show of strength to the West ahead of potential peace talks. Moscow did not provide an immediate response to Ukraine’s allegations.

Ukrainian Voldy Mirzelensky met with US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in Vatican City on May 18, in order to smooth out relations with the United States following the tragic conflict in February at the Oval Office.

Zelenskyy described it as a “good” meeting with officials from both countries and released a photo of them sitting outdoors at a table with a smile. According to Ukrainian media, the sit-in lasted for 40 minutes.

“We reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to engage in actual diplomacy and emphasized the importance of a complete and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” Zelenkie said.

After Leo’s first mass in Vatican City, Zelensky met the new Pope.

On May 16, Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face negotiations after more than three years of war, facing pressure from Trump and pressured them to ratify the ceasefire. Trump has repeatedly vowed to draw a costly war to a rapid conclusion.

The two countries offered to trade 1,000 prisoners, but they failed to reach a final agreement following Moscow’s claim on conditions in which members of the Ukrainian delegation were called “non-starters.”

While speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Washington on May 7, Vance said Russian leaders were seeking unrealistic concessions in negotiations to end the war.

“Indeed, the first peace offer the Russians placed on the table, our response was, “You want too much.” But this is how negotiations are unfolding,” Vance said.

In an interview with Fox News on May 9, he said Putin had requested that he surrender some territory that Russia had not occupied or captured.

European leaders talking to Trump ahead of Putin’s call

German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz said on May 18 that he and the British, French and Polish leaders were planning to speak to Trump before the US president’s call with Putin on May 19.

Last week, four European leaders visited Kiev and called for new sanctions against Moscow unless Putin agreed to a ceasefire. Zelenskyy said the leader joined him on a call with Trump on May 16 after negotiations between Russia and Crane were wrapped.

President Putin chose to skip attending the Russian-Ukurein Peace Conference in Turkey on May 16th.

On May 17, Trump said he would talk to Putin on the phone at 10am on May 19th.

“The subject of the phone will stop the “blood bath,” killing on average more than 5,000 Russians and Ukrainian soldiers, and trade,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Tom Ozimek, Andrew Thornebrooke and Reuters contributed to this report.