Russian drone strike kills 2 in Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine pushes for peace talks revival

A Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed two people and injured six others on Saturday, officials said, as Kyiv seeks to revive stalled peace negotiations with Moscow through US-mediated talks.

Zaporizhzhia regional head Ivan Fedorov said a drone hit a private house, killing a man and a woman and wounding six people, including two children.

Strikes hit civilians, infrastructure

In a separate development, Russian strikes on energy infrastructure left large parts of the northern Chernihiv region without electricity, local authorities said.

The attacks underscore continued pressure on civilian areas and critical infrastructure amid the prolonged conflict.

Talks expected amid stalled negotiations

The strikes came ahead of expected talks between Ukrainian and US officials, which Ukrainian state media said could take place later in the day in Miami. The White House has not confirmed the meeting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had sent a delegation to the United States to push for the resumption of US-brokered negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said the primary objective was to restart trilateral talks and ensure continued US support, including allowing NATO allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.

Russia signals openness to talks

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a new round of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv was likely in the near future.

However, Western European officials have repeatedly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of delaying talks while attempting to consolidate territorial gains on the battlefield.

Russian forces currently control nearly 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

War overshadowed by West Asia crisis

The Ukraine conflict has recently received less global attention amid the escalation in West Asia following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.

Analysts say the shift in focus has affected diplomatic momentum and resource flows.

Russia has benefited from a temporary US waiver on oil sanctions, while Ukraine continues to face financial strain and is awaiting a €90 billion (USD 103 billion) loan promised by the European Union.

The war, now in its third year, has seen repeated cycles of escalation and stalled diplomacy, with civilian infrastructure remaining a frequent target.

The latest strike highlights the ongoing humanitarian and strategic challenges even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue.