Russian drones leave Odesa without power – DW – 02/19/2025

US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg is expected to arrive in Ukraine by train from Poland on Wednesday morning.

The visit will last three days, according to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine.

“As to the trip into Ukraine, the trip is still being finalized, meaning if I’m going there, the answer is yes. Am I going to have an opportunity to meet with the President Zelenskyy? The answer is yes,” Interfax-Ukraine quoted Kellogg as saying on Monday.

US President Donald Trump confirmed last week that he would send Kellogg, who is tasked with drawing up a proposal to halt the nearly three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine, to Kyiv.

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding another meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday that will include several European and non-European countries.

Countries including Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden and Belgium have been invited, the Reuters news agency quoted unnamed sources as saying.

The format of the meeting would be hybrid, including video participation, Reuters added.

On Monday, Macron hosted an emergency meeting on the situation in Ukraine at the Elysee Palace with several countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy. Representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union were also present.

Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, leaving most residents without power, water or heat, Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said.

“Hospitals, clinics and social infrastructure sites were left without heating,” Trukhanov wrote on the Telegram messaging app, describing the strike on Odesa as “massive.”

Trukhanov posted pictures of buildings with windows blown out and facades damaged. He made no mention of casualties, saying experts were assessing the damage.

Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian strikes in the nearly three-year war, particularly facilities at the three ports in and around the city.

This blog will bring you the latest coverage, analysis and multimedia content related to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold another meeting on Ukraine in Paris on Wednesday, while US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg is expected to arrive in Kyiv for talks.