Russian strikes in Ukraine killed two people and wounded at least nine others, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday, as Moscow presses forward with its over three-year war despite Western condemnation.
Ivan Fedorov, the head of the military administration in southeastern Ukraine鈥檚 Zaporizhzhia region, said a Russian attack had left one person dead and nine wounded, including a child.
The governor of the southern Mykolaiv region, Vitaliy Kim, said Russian troops had attacked a farm there, killing a tractor driver as he worked in the field.
鈥楾his was a targeted attack on civilians,鈥� Kim wrote on the Telegram social media platform.
Hopes of reaching a truce in the conflict have dimmed since US president Donald Trump held high-profile talks separately with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukraine鈥檚 Volodymyr Zelensky last month.
Tensions have risen further since two NATO members, Poland and Romania, accused Russia of sending drones into their airspace, ostensibly as part of its attacks on Ukraine.
The alleged incursions prompted both countries to scramble fighter jets and Poland to close its border with Belarus, Moscow鈥檚 staunch ally, while Minsk held military drills alongside Russian troops.
Moscow has brushed off the accusations, saying neither Poland nor Romania have presented convincing evidence that the drones were Russian, and calling the latter incident a 鈥榩rovocation鈥� by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Trump will likely meet Zelensky next week and still hopes to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, secretary of state Marco Rubio said Tuesday.
Trump has repeatedly threatened sanctions against Russia if Putin does not compromise. But he has not followed through even as Russia ramps up attacks, frustrating Ukraine.
Trump has had 鈥榤ultiple calls with Putin, multiple meetings with Zelensky, including probably next week again in New York鈥�, where leaders will gather for the UN General Assembly, Rubio told reporters in Israel.
鈥楬e鈥檚 going to keep trying. If peace is possible, he wants to achieve it,鈥� Rubio said.
鈥楢t some point the president may conclude it鈥檚 not possible. He鈥檚 not there yet, but he could get to that point.鈥�
Rubio pointed to a figure previously cited by Trump, saying that Russia lost 20,000 soldiers in fighting in July alone.
Trump a month ago welcomed Putin to Alaska 鈥� the first time a Western nation has allowed the Russian leader to visit since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 鈥� and days later met with Zelensky alongside European leaders at the White House.