NATO jets scrambled after Russia attacks Ukraine with hundreds of drones just hours after Zelenskyy and Trump meeting
One of the most important points from the White House meeting was the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could soon sit down together for direct talks. This idea gained attention after Donald Trump, who is now President again at 79 years old, hosted Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Washington.
Reports suggest Trump even paused the meeting to call Putin, trying to push for face-to-face discussions. A Kremlin official later hinted that such talks could happen and would be “worthwhile,” with Trump himself likely to be part of the process.
But just hours after this meeting wrapped up, Russia launched one of its largest aerial strikes on Ukraine in recent months. According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia sent more than 270 drones, along with five cruise missiles and five Iskander-M ballistic missiles, from both occupied Crimea and nearby Russian regions such as Voronezh, Rostov, and Kursk.
Most of these attacks were intercepted, with Ukrainian officials saying their defenses shot down 236 targets, including 230 Shahed-type drones, two ballistic missiles, and four X-101 cruise missiles. Even so, damage was reported in several Ukrainian cities, with fires breaking out in residential buildings and universities.
The scale of the assault quickly drew in NATO. Fighter jets from Poland and Sweden were scrambled in response to the Russian attacks. Poland’s military publicly confirmed it had activated air defense systems and radar operations overnight to secure its skies.
Swedish aircraft, some of which were already stationed in Poland, joined in to provide extra protection. Authorities in Poland also warned their citizens about the situation, underscoring that the country was fully prepared for any threat spilling over from Ukraine.
Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy highlighted his effort to bring an end to the war in Eastern Europe, but Putin’s actions sent a clear message that Moscow is not easing up.
In fact, Trump was caught on a hot mic telling advisers that he believed Putin “wants to make a deal with me,” suggesting the Russian leader might only consider serious negotiations if Trump himself is directly involved.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Ukraine, the human cost of the conflict remains visible. Firefighters were seen putting out flames in a Kharkiv apartment block hit by drones, and a university building in Sumy was left burned out after another strike.
Despite defenses intercepting most incoming missiles and drones, the damage from those that got through shows how destructive the war continues to be.
