Zelenskyy Seeks Security Guarantees    11/06 06:36

   

   KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his 
government is looking for specific guarantees from Western allies on how 
post-war security support would function when the nearly-five-year war sparked 
by Russia's full-scale invasion of his nation finally ends.

   Zelenskyy's comments in an interview aired late Thursday came after two days 
of discussions among allies concluded in Brussels that focused on post-war 
security and reconstruction, and days before planned three-way talks next week 
in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States, the first 
trilateral peace discussions since February.

   While talks on the contours of peace continue, the grim reality of war 
remained front and center Friday in Ukraine, with more Russian drone attacks 
and a rising death toll from Moscow's guided bomb strike Monday on a former 
school operating as a humanitarian aid distribution center.

   Zelenskyy seeks security guarantees for Ukraine 

   Two days of talks in Brussels discussed postwar reconstruction, funding for 
2027 and security guarantees backed by the Ukrainian government's Western 
allies. The meetings brought together officials from the U.S., U.K., France, 
Germany and the European Union, along with representatives from the World Bank 
and the U.S. investment group BlackRock, Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem 
Umerov wrote in an online post.

   "We separately discussed the threats from Russia to Ukraine and all of 
Europe, as well as joint steps to counter them," Umerov wrote.

   In his television interview, Zelenskyy said he wants to see tangible results.

   "What matters is that it's clear on paper," Zelenskyy said in an interview 
with Ukraine's private 1+1 television broadcast late Thursday. "The question 
isn't dozens of points, but simply an understanding of the outcome: If Russia 
starts (attacking) again, what will happen? Who will do what, with what means, 
and when? Those answers have to be clear, above all, to us Ukrainians."

   Zelenskyy said it was important to maintain bipartisan support for Kyiv in 
the United States but acknowledged Democrats' sweeping victories in this week's 
midterm elections could have a positive effect on U.S. assistance, including 
the faster delivery of Patriot missile interceptors that Kyiv says are vital to 
fend off Russian airstrikes.

   "I believe our chances of getting additional assistance from the United 
States may now grow," he said.

   Trump met a Russian envoy in Washington 

   President Donald Trump met Thursday with Moscow envoy Kirill Dmitriev but 
declined to give details of what they discussed.

   "There's going to be an agreement, it's going to be a big agreement and it's 
going to involve more than Ukraine," Trump said, adding that it might include 
all of Europe.

   Trump, who has long boasted he could quickly broker an end to Russia's war 
in Ukraine, has lately blamed Zelenskyy for refusing to make concessions to end 
the conflict. Trump did not meet Thursday with visiting Ukrainian officials who 
also were on hand for a ceremony in Washington with first lady Melania Trump.

   Trump's son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner said in a social media message 
that the goal of the Brussels talks was to "develop practical arrangements that 
address the security concerns of all sides, reduce the risk of future conflict 
and create a more stable and predictable security environment."

   Death toll climbs above 50 following Russian attack on aid location 

   The death toll from a Russian bomb attack this week on a shelter and a 
former school now being used as an aid distribution center rose to 53 after 
more bodies were recovered from the rubble, Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of 
the region's military administration, said in an online post.

   Ten powerful guided bombs destroyed the facility at Komyshuvakha, a village 
in southeast Ukraine. Several dozen people are still believed to be missing 
after what was one of the deadliest attacks in the region in nearly five years 
of fighting.

   Relentless drone war continues 

   Russian drones struck five districts of Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovsk 
region more than 10 times overnight, regional administrator Oleksandr Hanzha 
said. They damaged storage facilities, homes, cars and a sports complex.

   Officials in the central Kirovohrad region said three people were wounded 
when a drone struck a private residence and started a fire.

   The Air Force said Russia launched 227 attack drones, including 86 
jet-powered ones, with strikes reported at 14 locations and falling debris at 
eight more. Overall, Ukraine's air defenses shot down or suppressed 196 Russian 
drones overnight into Friday.

   Russia's Ministry of Defense said Friday that it shot down 142 Ukrainian 
drones overnight.