Russian drones batter Odesa as peace talks come to a crux

Anticipation is building over whether diplomatic efforts can stop more than three years of fighting since Russia’s fullscale invasion of its neighbour

- 

Russian drones battered the Ukrainian port city of Odesa in a nighttime attack, local authorities said on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after a purported Easter ceasefire unilaterally declared by Moscow ended and just over a day before Ukrainian, British, French and US officials are due to meet in London to discuss the war.

Anticipation is building over whether diplomatic efforts can stop more than three years of fighting since Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour. Hostility has run deep between the two sides since Russia invaded and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014.

Trump said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the grinding war.

This came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested last week the US might soon back away from negotiations altogether if they don't progress. He spoke in Paris after talks among US, Ukrainian and European officials produced outlines for steps toward peace and appeared to make some long-awaited progress.

A new meeting is expected Wednesday in London, and Rubio suggested it could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration continues its involvement.