Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv, was struck by missiles on Wednesday night, resulting in injuries to six people and damage to several houses. The attack occurred just hours after Russia indicated a willingness, in principle, to resume peace talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This development followed a renewed diplomatic push involving envoys from the United States.

The latest missile barrage on Kyiv comes at a critical juncture in the conflict, which has seen intensified attacks in recent weeks. The attack also coincided with statements from the US president suggesting the world was closer than ever to ending the war, a claim that now faces a stark reality check with the renewed violence.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed the casualties and damage. The diplomatic efforts involved Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, following an earlier meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The three-way peace talks had been paused in February, after which Russia significantly escalated its attacks.

US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that discussions with Vladimir Putin about settling the war were progressing, suggesting a potential breakthrough. However, his administration has so far been unable to broker an end to the conflict, despite repeated assertions of his ability to do so.

Witkoff's itinerary included meetings with President Zelensky and leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo before proceeding to St. Petersburg. While the specific proposals Witkoff presented to Putin remain undisclosed, Zelensky indicated that discussions covered robust security guarantees for Ukraine and energy ceasefire proposals. However, a Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, described Russia's views on these proposals as "not very useful."

Top officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the US have engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations. Russia has attributed disruptions to prior talks to Ukrainian strikes during its general elections last month. President Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Following the St. Petersburg meeting, Ushakov suggested that a new round of talks might take place around November 10 in Abu Dhabi. He emphasized that any future discussions must prioritize establishing a security system for both Russia and Ukraine post-conflict. Ushakov also relayed Putin's assertion that Russian forces were advancing along the entire front line and held the strategic initiative, a claim disputed by Ukraine and its European allies who describe the front as largely static.

President Zelensky expressed his willingness to accept a deal that would freeze the conflict along the current front lines, referring to it as a "ceasefire" or "stop killings." He stated that this is the minimum requirement from Russia at present, with security guarantees for Ukraine to be discussed subsequently.