Russia and Ukraine may be returning to negotiations, but the recent missile attack on Kyiv suggests that peace remains far away. On October 21, 2026, Russia President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to resume U.S. mediated talks with Ukraine after meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Yet within hours, Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said the attack killed civilians and wounded others.
The attack followed Moscow’s announcement that it was willing to restart negotiations. Peace talks are supposed to reduce violence but instead, diplomatic efforts were followed by an exchange of deadly attacks. This demonstrates that Russia and Ukraine are not yet engaged in genuine collective action. They are participating in diplomacy while continuing to use military force, a contradiction that makes any promise of peace difficult to trust.
While President Trump continues to try to restart peace talks, The New York Times claims he has now begun blaming Ukraine for his domestic political problems, turning to Russia for a helping hand. After cutting U.S. aid to Ukraine by 99 percent, President Trump is now sending American money to the Kremlin. As a result, Ukraine has experienced a deep wave of betrayal in the aftermath of the war.
The latest negotiations are an opening, not a breakthrough. Collective action will exist only when diplomacy produces restraint, accountability, and a peace that Ukraine can realistically survive.