US, Ukraine discuss post-war reconstruction as Russia pummels grid

GENEVA/KYIV, Feb 26 - Ukrainian and U.S. officials gathered in Geneva for talks on post-war reconstruction on Thursday despite a deadlock in peace negotiations with Russia, which pounded infrastructure across Ukraine with drone and missile strikes overnight. Read more at straitstimes.com.

GENEVA/KYIV, Feb 26 - Ukrainian and U.S. officials gathered in Geneva for talks on post-war reconstruction on Thursday despite a deadlock in peace negotiations with Russia, which pounded infrastructure across Ukraine with drone and missile strikes overnight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had launched 420 drones and 39 missiles in another night of attacks on energy and other critical infrastructure. Dozens of people were injured and damage was reported across eight regions, he said.

The talks in Geneva with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to begin around lunchtime, a Ukrainian official said. Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's negotiating team and the head of the National Security and Defence Council, will represent Ukraine.

Proceeding with the reconstruction of Ukraine after the destruction wrought by Russian aerial strikes and frontline combat has become a major element in broader talks on how to end the war, which entered its fifth year this week.

Kyiv hopes to attract about $800 billion of public and private funds over the next 10 years to rebuild the country.

"When the whole world demands Moscow to finally stop this senseless war, Putin bets on more terror, attacks, and aggression," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in the wake of the strikes, repeating calls for more sanctions on Russia and military support for Ukraine.