Sun Apr 06 00:21:00 UTC 2025: ## Zelenskyy Meets with Allies Amidst Deadly Russian Strike on Kryvyi Rih
**Kyiv, Ukraine** – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the chiefs of staff of the British and French armed forces in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss the potential deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force following a deadly Russian missile strike. The discussions, which aim to lay the groundwork for a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels next week, come despite US President Donald Trump’s reluctance to provide security guarantees.
The meeting focused on the structure and size of a potential “reassurance force,” with Britain emphasizing the need for a US “backstop” to ensure its credibility. The proposed force, potentially numbering 10,000 to 30,000 troops, would represent a significant commitment for European nations.
The discussions were overshadowed by a devastating Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, which killed at least 18 people, including nine children, and injured 72 more. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the strike targeted a restaurant where Ukrainian and Western military personnel were meeting, a claim that was rejected by the Ukrainian General Staff. A subsequent drone strike in the same city killed one woman and wounded seven others.
Overnight, Russia launched 92 drones into Ukraine, with 51 shot down. Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, blaming Russia’s unwillingness to end the war and criticizing the US Embassy’s response, which he felt lacked sufficient condemnation of Russia. He specifically criticized US Ambassador Bridget A. Brink’s statement for not explicitly naming Russia as the perpetrator.
Elsewhere, one person died in shelling in the Russian-occupied town of Horlivka. The conflict continues, with both sides reporting drone attacks and casualties. Zelenskyy is urging allies to increase pressure on Moscow and bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.
First Piper 