Russian drone strikes continue in Ukraine as Vatican renews offer for help

Russian drone strikes continued in Ukraine, killing nine people, officials said, as the Vatican renewed its offer to help the two sides in efforts to reach a peace agreement.

The strikes – and renewed offer from the Vatican – come hours after Moscow and Kyiv had held their first direct peace talks in years that failed to yield a ceasefire. Russian and Ukrainian officials met Friday in Istanbul in an attempt to reach a temporary ceasefire, but the talks ended after less than two hours without a breakthrough - as they remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting and Putin was a no-show.

President Trump said on social media Saturday that he plans to speak to Putin on Monday. "The subjects of the call will be, stopping the 'bloodbath" that is killing, on average, more than 5000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade," Mr. Trump wrote in all capital letters, adding he would speak to President Zelenskyy and members of NATO after his call with Putin.