Russia targeted Ukraine on Sunday with one of its largest drone bombardments of the war, an apparent show of force only a day before President Trump is expected to talk with President Vladimir V. Putin as he pushes Russia to accept a cease-fire deal.
The drone barrage, in which an estimated 273 exploding drones and decoys were recorded in the skies across Ukraine, killed a woman and injured several other people.
It came hours after Mr. Trump said on Saturday that he would talk with Mr. Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who has agreed to an unconditional and immediate cease-fire, as well as the leaders of the NATO alliance. Mr. Putin has dragged his feet on agreeing to any temporary truce, adding preconditions that he knows Ukraine will not accept.
On Sunday, Mr. Zelensky met in Rome with Vice President JD Vance in their first encounter since a contentious White House meeting in February. The Sunday sit-down, which also included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, took place after they had attended Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass.
The meeting appeared to signal that any animosity between Mr. Vance and Mr. Zelensky had dissipated. Mr. Trump also met with Mr. Zelensky in private at the Vatican before the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26 and later spoke warmly of the Ukrainian leader.
