Russian missile and drone blitz kills 9 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy meets U.S. and European officials in Norway

Russian missile and drone attacks in Ukraine claimed the lives of nine individuals on Tuesday, according to officials, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. and European officials in Norway. The attack targeted civilian areas, causing at least nine casualties, officials reported. Zelenskyy was accompanied by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other envoys during his visit to Norway.

He expressed a desire for more American and European assistance during the visit. The meeting aimed to discuss strengthening Ukraine's air defenses and joint production of weapons. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the envoys could take place soon, potentially as early as Wednesday.

Ukrainian officials are concerned about the potential for further U.S. support for Ukraine as relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have deteriorated. Ukraine has nearly exhausted its supply of American-made Patriot air-defense interceptors, which are crucial for countering Russia's ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy blamed the Pentagon for delays in delivering these missiles.

He also sought assistance from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure continued intelligence sharing between the two countries. Zelenskyy further criticized the waiver of sanctions on Russia by U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that it enables Putin to continue his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials claim that the Trump administration has been pushing for Kyiv to cede territory to Russia in exchange for peace.

Despite this, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has not surrendered to Putin's demands and has received support from Europe.