Russia conducted a mass missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities at the beginning of Friday, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said. The strike followed just hours after Washington said that talks with Kyiv were moving toward a ceasefire in the three-year war.

The most recent wave of strikes came after a Brussels crisis summit, where the European Union leaders, fearing U.S. disengagement, consented to strengthen the defense capabilities of the bloc. In the meantime, American and Ukrainian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was hoping for a “meaningful meeting,” and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff reported that an “initial ceasefire” and overall peace framework with Russia would be discussed.

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Ukraine’s Infrastructure Under Attack

In spite of the continuous diplomatic efforts, Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure were subjected to heavy shelling. “Russia is attempting to injure ordinary Ukrainians by bombing energy and gas production plants, without giving up on its intention to leave us without electricity and heating, and inflicting maximum damage on ordinary citizens,” Galushchenko posted on Facebook.

The attacks hit several areas. In Kharkiv, a missile struck and wounded five, including a woman pulled from the wreckage, Mayor Igor Terekhov reported. He added that a fire erupted at the point of impact, damaging a nearby apartment building and causing evacuations. Later, he said a “critical infrastructure building” had also been damaged.

Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synegubov said a private firm was targeted, with cars going up in flames. “A 65-year-old woman and a 61-year-old man were hospitalised,” he said. In another attack, Ukraine’s Odesa region was hit, damaging vital infrastructure, but no one was injured, the nation’s emergency services said. In the Ternopil region, Governor Vyacheslav Negoda has confirmed that a Russian missile hit an “important industrial facility,” although another missile was intercepted by air defense forces before it could inflict further damage.

Europe Bolsters Defense Amid Russian Threat

As tensions rise, European leaders moved to increase defense spending in a bid to counter what they perceive as a growing threat from Russia. Their move followed Zelensky’s strained conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Washington’s brief suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

We are resolutely headed towards a militarily strong and more sovereign Europe,” stated Antonio Costa, president of the EU Council. “We are walking the walk.”

European leaders approved a proposal to spend around 800 billion euros ($860 billion) on defense, as much as 150 billion euros in EU-guaranteed loans. The new scheme also relaxes budget rules to allow higher military expenditures.

Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is demanding revolutionary defense spending overhauls, and French President Emmanuel Macron has set out a defense budget boom and even called for taking France’s nuclear deterrent out to European partners.

Fears of U.S. commitment to NATO continue, as Trump again questioned whether America should remain the sole security guarantor for Europe. On Thursday, he repeated his long-standing grievance that allied countries “should be paying more” for their defense.