Russian Drone Strikes Kindergarten in Ukraine

A Russian drone struck a kindergarten in Ukraine on Wednesday, killing at least one person and injuring others, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

Firefighters worked rapidly to put out the blaze caused by the explosion and evacuate about 50 children from the scene in the northeast Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.  

“Absolutely no justification exists for attacking children. Ceasefire must come before any negotiations—discussions under strikes like this are impossible,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X. 

“Stopping terrorists requires coordinated actions and strong sanctions from the EU, the U.S., the G7, and all partners committed to peace. The world must respond—immediately,” the ministry added.  

The attack comes shortly after a summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was put on hold. The meeting, which Trump announced last week after a call with Putin, was expected to take place in Budapest, Hungary, in the near future.  

Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he did not want to “have a wasted meeting” with Putin and does not “waste” time.  

After Trump’s call with Putin, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House Friday. The closed-door meeting is reported to have been a tense one as Trump refused to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. After the meeting, Trump told press the fighting should stop at the current lines of battle—a suggestion that neither Putin nor Zelenskyy have supported.  

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday and Kristersson announced that Sweden is taking steps to provide Ukraine with over 100 Gripen fighter jets. The Swedish-made Gripen is designed for fighter attack missions and recognizance.  

“These are great aircraft, strong aviation platforms capable of performing a wide range of missions. Everyone can see what threats they help counter,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “We expect that the future contract will enable us to obtain at least 100 of these jets.” 

In Russia, Putin oversaw a test of the country’s nuclear forces on Wednesday. The test involved all three aspects of Russia’s nuclear program: air, land, and sea assets.  

“The exercise tested the level of preparedness of the military command and the practical skills of the operational personnel in organizing the control of subordinate forces,” according to a Kremlin statement.

In Washington, Trump will host a closed-door meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House on Wednesday. Trump and Rutte will discuss support for Ukraine.  

Rutte has been complementary of Trump in the past, famously referring to the president as “daddy” during the NATO summit in the Netherlands in June while the two men discussed the Israel-Iran conflict.  

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