Russian strikes hit Kremenchuk as Trump vows U.S. security role in peace deal

An overnight Russian strike rocked the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to hundreds of households in the Poltava region and underscoring what local officials said was Moscow’s continuing rejection of peace.

Regional authorities reported widespread outages and damage following the barrage, describing the attack as further evidence that President Vladimir Putin remains committed to military escalation rather than negotiations.

“These strikes show Russia does not want peace,” one official said on Tuesday.

The assault came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

Trump assured his counterpart that Washington would help guarantee Ukraine’s security as part of any eventual settlement to end the war, a message aimed at bolstering Kyiv’s negotiating position.

Following the talks, Trump spoke directly with Putin and began working to arrange a potential meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

While no date has been set, the move suggested the White House is preparing to take a more active role in mediating a possible end to the conflict, even as the fighting on the ground continues.