As the world watched, the night of November 25, 2025, unfolded with violence and hope in equal measure for Ukraine. Russian forces unleashed a barrage of at least 22 missiles and more than 460 drones across the country, striking the capital Kyiv and igniting fires, cutting off water and electricity, and sending residents scrambling for shelter. Yet, at the very same moment, diplomats and leaders from Ukraine, the United States, and Europe were racing to finalize a peace plan that could bring an end to nearly two years of relentless war.
According to ABC News, the attacks were labeled "massive" by Ukraine’s energy minister, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemning the strikes as "particularly cynical" given ongoing negotiations. "That is why all partners must not forget that every day lives need to be saved," Zelenskyy posted on social media, urging the international community to continue supplying weapons, air defense, and to maintain pressure on Russia through sanctions. The toll was sobering: six dead and thirteen wounded nationwide, with Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reporting two deaths and seven injuries in the capital alone. Fires raged in residential buildings, and entire neighborhoods lost access to water and power.
Military officials reported that Ukrainian air defenses managed to destroy or neutralize 438 drones and 14 missiles, but some still hit their targets. Debris fell in at least a dozen locations, and 26 strike drones were recorded impacting across 15 sites. Residents huddled in bomb shelters as air-raid sirens blared throughout the night. Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, captured the mood on social media: "And so this night we spend in bomb shelters, listening how the missiles rain down on Kyiv. This is Russia’s response to peace negotiations."
The violence was not confined to Ukraine’s borders. Zelenskyy confirmed that several Russian drones crossed into Moldova and NATO-member Romania—one crashing into a house in Moldova and another in Romania’s Vaslui County. The Romanian Defense Ministry scrambled two German Typhoons and two Romanian F-16s in response. Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister, decried the incursions as "yet another reminder that Russian aggression directly threatens not only Ukraine but also other European nations and the transatlantic community as a whole," according to ABC News.
Strikingly, these attacks came on the heels of significant diplomatic activity. Over the weekend, negotiators met in Geneva to discuss a U.S.-proposed peace plan, and on November 25, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll held a secret meeting with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov was also present in the Emirates, underscoring the high stakes and urgency of the talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he was "very close to an agreement for Ukraine," adding, "I look forward to meeting with Zelensky and Putin, but only when the agreement to end this war is final or in its final stages." Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was dispatched to Moscow to meet with President Putin, while Driscoll continued talks with the Ukrainians. The White House confirmed that discussions were "going well," although some sensitive details remained to be resolved.
The peace plan under discussion, according to multiple sources including Reuters and ABC, is a 19-point framework hammered out in Geneva and Abu Dhabi. Ukraine reportedly supports the "essence" of the agreement, though the most sensitive issues—such as security guarantees and the future size of the Ukrainian army—are to be discussed directly between Zelensky and Trump. Notably, the latest draft of the U.S. plan removed a previous cap on the Ukrainian military, instead stating that its size "will remain" at a certain level without imposing a hard limit.
European leaders were quick to weigh in. French President Emmanuel Macron called the attacks on Ukraine proof that "peace begins with a ceasefire," stressing that "the only problem in Ukraine is Russia and its demands." He also favored a "strong Ukrainian army" and promised a solution for funding Ukraine through the use of frozen Russian assets within days. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the necessity of "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine and the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz insisted that any plan affecting European interests must have EU approval. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, echoed the need for "strong transatlantic cooperation" and highlighted the centrality of Russian assets to Ukraine’s financing.
Even the Pope weighed in, calling from Castel Gandolfo for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue: "We must seek the way to put together at the table, to work, to seek with dialogue a solution to this war that by now must come to an end."
Despite the flurry of optimism, there were notes of caution. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the peace plan, stating Moscow would reject any proposal that deviated from the original understandings reached with Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, in August. He called French President Macron’s statements "just dreams" and insisted that Russia had not yet received the latest draft of the plan through official channels. The New York Post, citing sources, suggested Moscow would reject the current 19-point plan and that the war could drag on until Christmas.
Meanwhile, the violence continued. On November 24, Russia had launched over 160 drones into Ukraine, killing at least four people in Kharkiv. The southern region of Odessa was also attacked, injuring six, including two children. In Moldova, residents were evacuated after a drone crash, and NATO fighter jets were scrambled in Romania for the thirteenth time since the invasion began. The Ukrainian Air Force reported a "busy night" defending against waves of ballistic and cruise missiles, with advanced Patriot systems intercepting several threats, including a Kinzhal missile.
As the world awaits a possible meeting between Zelensky and Trump—potentially as soon as Thanksgiving week—there is a sense of urgency but also wariness. "There are significant results, and still a lot of work to be done," Zelensky told the Coalition of the Willing. The path to peace is fraught, but for millions of Ukrainians, the hope is that diplomacy will finally silence the sirens and bring an end to the long, cold nights spent in bomb shelters.
