Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Western allies to provide clear and concrete security guarantees outlining how they would support Ukraine if Russia resumes its aggression after the nearly five-year war ends.
In an interview broadcast late Thursday, Zelenskyy said Kyiv wanted specific commitments from its partners on postwar security arrangements. His remarks came after two days of discussions among Western allies in Brussels on Ukraine's security and reconstruction and ahead of planned trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi next week. The meeting would be the first such peace discussions since February.
Zelenskyy stressed that any security agreement must clearly explain how allies would respond to another Russian attack, including who would take action, what resources would be used and when.
The Brussels meetings involved officials from the United States, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union, alongside representatives of the World Bank and US investment firm BlackRock. Discussions covered reconstruction, funding for 2027 and security guarantees.
Zelenskyy also expressed hope that recent Democratic victories in the US midterm elections could improve Washington's assistance to Kyiv, particularly through faster deliveries of Patriot missile interceptors.
His party's parliamentary leader, Davyd Arakhamia, told reporters in Washington on Friday that the chances of securing stronger US financial and other support had at least doubled following the change in congressional control.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump met Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Washington on Thursday but offered few details about their discussion. Trump said a potential agreement would be significant and could involve not only Ukraine but also other European countries.
Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said the Brussels discussions aimed to develop practical arrangements addressing security concerns, reducing the risk of future conflict and ensuring greater stability.
However, the European Union cautioned against expecting an immediate breakthrough. European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said substantial work remained and stressed that Russia must demonstrate a willingness to engage in the process.
The Kremlin also said it had received no details of a possible agreement mentioned by Trump. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had received no proposals from Europe on security guarantees, although he acknowledged that future security discussions between Russia and Ukraine would eventually require European involvement.
Death toll from Russian strike rises to 53
The death toll from Monday's Russian guided bomb attack on a former school being used as a humanitarian aid distribution centre in Komyshuvakha, southeastern Ukraine, rose to 53 after rescuers recovered additional bodies.
Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the regional military administration, said several dozen people were still believed to be missing. Ten powerful guided bombs destroyed the facility, making the incident one of the deadliest attacks in the region during the nearly five-year conflict.
Russian drone attacks cause widespread power outages
Russian overnight drone strikes targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure caused extensive power outages across seven regions, the Energy Ministry said Friday.
The Kyiv region suffered the most severe disruption, prompting continued restrictions on electricity supplies as repair crews worked around the clock to restore power.
Zelenskyy said electricity and water shortages were particularly serious in the capital region, affecting residents and industrial operations.
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 227 attack drones overnight, including 86 jet-powered ones. Strikes were reported at 14 locations, while falling debris was recorded at eight others. Ukrainian air defences intercepted or suppressed 196 drones.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian authorities discovered and destroyed a Russian Gerbera-2 drone in waters off the country's northern Black Sea coast. The drone was not carrying explosives, the Defence Ministry said Friday.
Bulgaria has repeatedly reported finding drones or their fragments in its waters and along its coastline following the escalation of Russia's war in Ukraine this year.
Russia's Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences shot down 142 Ukrainian drones overnight.