Ukraine resumes talks after drone barrage

Dmitry Peskov said on May 18 that Russia expected the Ukraine peace process to resume, even as Moscow was still reacting to what Russian officials described as the biggest attack on the capital region in a year. The Kremlin spokesman made the comment after a weekend of large-scale drone strikes and counterstrikes that followed the collapse of a three-day ceasefire. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had carried out “deep strikes” on Russian territory, while President Donald Trump said Russian missile attacks on Ukraine could set back peace efforts. ### Why did Moscow revive talk of negotiations after the strikes? Peskov said the peace process was “on pause” but that Moscow expected it to resume. NBC reported that the Kremlin response came after Ukraine’s attack on the Moscow region, which Russian authorities said killed people near the capital and disrupted flights. (nbcnews.com) IBTimes reported that Moscow’s signal on talks followed a massive Ukrainian drone operation targeting Moscow and other Russian regions over the weekend. Zelenskyy presented the strikes as pressure on Russia, saying Ukraine was ready for talks while continuing attacks deep inside Russian territory. ### What did Ukraine hit after the ceasefire broke down? (nbcnews.com) Zelenskyy said on May 17 that Ukraine had conducted “deep strikes” on Moscow as both sides launched drones at each other. Sky News reported that the exchanges came after the short ceasefire ended and included strikes on targets far from the front. (ibtimes.com) Kyiv Post, in an opinion article cited in the source briefing, said Ukraine’s drone campaign had increasingly targeted refineries, naval assets and air defenses inside Russia after the ceasefire collapsed. That characterization is consistent with broader reporting that Kyiv has expanded long-range drone attacks beyond border regions and military positions near the front. ### Where does India enter this round of diplomacy? (news.sky.com) Jonas Gahr Støre said on May 19 that Norway hoped India would use its contacts with Moscow to push for a truce in Ukraine. Hindustan Times reported that the Norwegian prime minister said Oslo and New Delhi shared the objective of ending the war and that “more pressure” was needed on Russia to bring it to the negotiating table. (time.com) The Hindu separately reported that Støre said he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would use India’s channels to Russia to help secure a ceasefire. The remarks placed India among the outside governments now being publicly urged to test whether Moscow is prepared to move from battlefield escalation to formal talks. (hindustantimes.com) ### Why did the IAEA issue a warning tied to Barakah? The International Atomic Energy Agency said on May 18 that the United Arab Emirates had informed it that radiation levels at the Barakah nuclear power plant remained normal and that no injuries were reported after a drone strike caused a fire in an electrical generator outside the inner site perimeter. The agency said the incident again showed why military activity near nuclear facilities carries serious risks. (thehindu.com) World Nuclear News reported that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi renewed his warning that armed attacks near nuclear plants must be avoided because of the risk of a radiological emergency. The Barakah incident was outside Ukraine, but it widened the list of nuclear-related sites drawn into regional military activity. (world-nuclear-news.org) ### What happens next in the peace track? Trump said last week that Russian strikes on Kyiv could damage prospects for peace talks, and Peskov said on May 18 that Moscow still expected the process to restart. No date for a new round of talks was announced in the reports reviewed, and neither the Kremlin nor Kyiv publicly set out a venue or agenda for renewed negotiations. (world-nuclear-news.org) Støre’s comments in Oslo on May 19 added another named participant to that next phase: India. Any renewed diplomatic push will now be watched for direct contacts involving Moscow, Kyiv, Washington and outside governments including India and Norway. (hindustantimes.com) (nbcnews.com)