Zelinski cuts a visit to South Africa after a Russian attack on Kyiv

Ukraine President Volodimir Zelinski canceled part of his first visit to South Africa after overnight Russian missiles on a drone on the capital of Ukraine Kiev.

at least Nine people were killed Local officials said more than 70 injuries, including children, were in the attack.

Zelinski said in a post on X that he will return to Ukraine “immediately” after meeting his counterpart in South Africa Cyril Ramavusa as part of a trip to intensify diplomatic efforts.

He added that the rescue operations were continuing in the wake of the night attack and there was “great destruction.”

“44 days have passed since Ukraine has agreed to a full ceasefire and a hinder strike. This was a proposal from the United States,” Zelensky also said in X.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of harming peace negotiations, after Zelinski said that Kiev would not recognize Russian control of the Crimea.

Ukraine has long said that it will not abandon the Crimea, a southern peninsula that Russia illegally included in 2014.

Trump claimed that a deal to end the war was “very close”, but Zelensky’s refusal to accept the American conditions “will do nothing but prolong” the conflict.

Earlier, US Vice President JD VANCE put the US vision of a deal, saying it “will freeze the regional lines (…) near their place today.”

He said that the deal means that Ukraine and Russia “will have to abandon some of the lands they currently own” – without specifying the geographical concessions that must be made.

When the White House reporters were asked whether the administration was looking to recognize Russian sovereignty on the Crimea, Trump said he only wanted to see the end of the war.

The awareness of the occupation of the Crimea in Russia will not only be a political impossible to accept Zelinski, but will also be contrary to international legal standards after the war that the borders should not be changed by force.