Concessions to Russia on Ukraine 'suicidal' - Zelensky
· RTE.ieUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it would be "suicidal" for Europe to offer Russia concessions to halt its invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow demanded the west enter direct talks on ending the war.
Ukraine is increasing the pressure on its allies for more support in its fight against Moscow following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election.
Mr Trump has boasted that he could end the conflict within hours and repeatedly criticised US aid to Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine cede swathes more territory in the east and south as a precondition to peace talks, while Kyiv has repeatedly ruled out giving up land in exchange for peace.
Ukraine and many in the west fear any settlement that rewards Mr Putin would only embolden him and lead to more aggression.
Speaking to European leaders at a summit in Hungary, President Zelensky attacked those who were pressuring him to give in to some of Putin's hardline demands.
"There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions," he said, according to a copy of the address provided by the Ukrainian presidency.
"It's unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe."
He also accused some European leaders, without specifying which ones, of "strongly" pushing Ukraine to compromise.
"We need sufficient weapons, not support in talks. Hugs with Putin won't help. Some of you have been hugging him for 20 years, and things are only getting worse," President Zelensky said.
Hospital among buildings attacked in Ukraine
The comments came as Russian strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, including on a hospital and residential buildings, killed at least four people.
Eighteen others, including at least two children, were wounded, according to Ukraine's emergency services.
"There may still be people under the rubble," the agency added.
The industrial hub, which Russia has attacked more in recent days, had a pre-war population of more than 700,000 and lies around 35km from the nearest Russian positions.
Hours before the strikes, Moscow demanded that Ukraine's allies enter into negotiations with Moscow if they want to halt the attacks.
Head of Russia's Security Council Sergei Shoigu said the west faced a choice between opening direct talks or the continuing "destruction" of Ukraine's population.
"Now, when the situation in the theatre of combat is not in Kyiv's favour, the west is faced with a choice," Mr Shoigu said at a meeting with defence officials of other former Soviet Union states.
"To continue financing (Kyiv) and the destruction of the Ukrainian population or recognise the current realities and start negotiating," the former defence minister added.
They were among the first comments from a Russian official since confirmation of Mr Trump's return to the White House in January.
President Zelensky has previously said that without US aid, Ukraine would lose the war.
His outmanned and outgunned army is already on the back foot in the eastern Donbas region, where Russian forces have been slowly advancing for months.
Moscow said it had seized control of Kreminna Balka, a village that had a pre-war population of fewer than 50 people in the industrial Donetsk region where Ukraine's defences have been pushed back again and again.
Ukrainian media reported that authorities in Donetsk are preparing to announce mandatory evacuations from seven more villages in a region that the Kremlin claimed in 2022 was part of Russia.
Two were killed in shelling there today, the local governor reported.
Russia launched 106 drones at Ukraine overnight, the air force said, adding that 74 were shot down over 11 regions.
Two people died in the attacks in the frontline Kherson and Sumy regions, local governors reported.