Zelenskyy in Berlin for talks with Merz – DW – 05/28/2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia has gathered 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s northern Sumy region.

Speaking to reporters, he added Kyiv had taken steps to prevent Moscow from conducting a large-scale offensive there.

“Their largest, strongest forces are currently on the Kursk front,” Zelenskyy said. “To push our troops out of the Kursk region and to prepare offensive actions against the Sumy region.”

The build-up of troops comes as Russia appears to be preparing for a summer offensive in Ukraine while Kyiv waits for Moscow to present a memorandum laying out its conditions to proceed with ceasefire talks. 

Putin has said he wants a “buffer zone” along Russia’s border with Ukraine. Zelenskyy has said Kyiv believes that Russia seeks to establish a buffer zone of about 10 kilometres (6 miles).

Sumy lies on the border of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia has captured at least four border villages in the area recently, and has been moving slowly forwards over the past several weeks on parts of the frontline in eastern Ukraine near the city of Kostyantynivka.

However, Zelenskyy said that the Russians had been pushed back in that area by 4 km (2.5 miles) over the last two days.

Ukraine launched almost 300 drones in one of the largest attempted attacks atRussia, including dozens targeting the capital Moscow, Russian authorities said.

“Anti-aircraft defense systems destroyed and intercepted 296 aerial drones,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement, with at least 42 being shot down over the Moscow region, according to Governor Andrey Vorobyov.

This comes after Moscow’s record drone attack on the country over the weekend, which Kyiv said killed at least 13 people.

Ukraine said that Russia launched more than 900 drones in the three days up to Monday.
 

US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellog, said a Russianofficial stoking fears of a third World War was “unfortunate” and “reckless.”

“President Trump is working to stop this war and end the killing,” Kellog posted on the platform X. He also called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. 

This comes after Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president, commented on Trumps remarks, in which he said President Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” over Ukraine.

“I know of one REALLY BAD thing — World War III. I hope Trump understands this,” Medvedev said on his X account.
 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Germany on Wednesday for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the German government has confirmed.

The talks will focus on military support for the war-torn country and efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the war with Russia. 

The two leaders are scheduled to hold a press conference later today, with Zelenskyy later meeting German business representatives and, later on, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

It is the Ukrainian leader’s first trip to Germany since Friedrich Merz became chancellor on May 6. 

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