Russian Missile Strikes Odesa Port as US Hosts Russian Envoy for Talks

A Russian missile struck port infrastructure in Odesa, Ukraine, resulting in eight deaths and 27 injuries, according to Ukrainian emergency services on Saturday. This attack occurred as a Kremlin representative prepared to travel to Florida for discussions regarding a U.S.-proposed plan to resolve the nearly four-year conflict.

These discussions are part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to broker peace, which have included meetings with Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin earlier in the week. According to Ukraine’s chief negotiator, his delegation had separate meetings in the U.S. with American and European partners.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the U.S.'s stance following discussions with the Russians would be crucial. Speaking at a Kyiv press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Zelenskyy said the key question is the U.S. response after consultations with Russia, which he expected to learn about later that day.

Zelenskyy also announced an agreement with Portugal to jointly produce maritime drones, calling it a promising area for defense cooperation. He emphasized the need for Europe to have sufficient capabilities to counter threats.

Some of the injured in Odesa were on a bus at the center of the strike late Friday, the emergency service reported via Telegram. The attack also caused trucks to catch fire in the parking lot, and damaged cars. Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa region, confirmed that ballistic missiles were used in the port attack.

Moscow has not yet acknowledged the attack. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the Russian Defense Ministry stated on Saturday that it had struck unspecified "transport and storage infrastructure used by the Ukrainian armed forces," as well as energy facilities supporting Kyiv's war effort, over the previous day.

In other developments, Ukrainian drones targeted a Russian oil rig, the military patrol ship Okhotnik, and other facilities, according to a statement from Ukraine’s General Staff on Saturday. The statement indicated that the ship was patrolling in the Caspian Sea near an oil and gas production platform, and the extent of the damage was still being assessed. A drilling platform at the Filanovsky oil and gas field, operated by Lukoil, was also hit. Ukrainian drones also struck a radar system in the Krasnosilske area of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Neither the Russian government nor Lukoil has issued an immediate response. Lukoil is one of two Russian oil majors, along with Gazprom, that are targeted by recent U.S. sanctions aimed at reducing Moscow's oil export revenue, which helps sustain the war.

Kyiv has used similar justifications for its long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, claiming it both funds and directly fuels Russia's invasion.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been actively pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, but his efforts have been complicated by conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently indicated a firm stance on his demands regarding Ukraine, as Russian troops continue to advance despite significant losses. Putin expressed confidence on Friday that the Kremlin would achieve its goals militarily if Kyiv does not agree to Russia’s conditions in peace talks.

European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide 90 billion euros ($106 billion) to Ukraine for its military and economic needs over the next two years. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. they were unable to resolve differences with Belgium regarding the use of frozen Russian assets to raise these funds, opting instead to borrow on capital markets.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine will need 137 billion euros ($161 billion) in 2026 and 2027, after nearly four years of war. The Ukrainian government is facing potential bankruptcy and urgently requires funds by spring.

Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, is scheduled to meet with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Miami on Saturday, according to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously to preview the meeting. This meeting will follow discussions with Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin regarding U.S. security guarantees for Kyiv, territorial concessions, and other aspects of the U.S. plan.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, reported on Friday that a Ukrainian delegation had met with American and European partners in the U.S., agreeing to continue joint work in the near future, but provided few details.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Thursday that Moscow was preparing for contacts with the U.S. to learn about the results of the Berlin meetings, but did not provide further information when asked about the Miami meeting.