Russia's Absence Renders Talks Pointless as Conflict in Ukraine Escalates: Missiles, Detentions, and Tensions Mount

Senior officials from around 40 countries gathered in Jeddah on Sunday for a two-day meeting to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, Russia's absence from the meeting has rendered the talks pointless, according to a statement by Russia's Foreign Ministry. The ministry emphasized that any solution to the conflict must consider Moscow's interests and be on its terms. In response, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected Russia's demands and insisted on a full withdrawal of Russian forces from the occupied areas.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Security Service announced the detention of an alleged Russian informant who collected intelligence about President Zelensky's recent visit to the Mykolaiv region. The detainee was reportedly gathering information for an airstrike targeting Zelensky. These developments come on the heels of two missile strikes in the city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, carried out by Russia. The strikes resulted in the death of at least five people and the injury of dozens more. Ukrainian President Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to leave "broken and scorched stones" in eastern Ukraine. The situation remains tense, with Russian shelling also hitting other targets in the region, causing further casualties and damage.