The Fort Worth Press - Zelensky seeks 150 Swedish fighter jets as Russia pummels Ukraine

The accord inked by Zelensky and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson came early in a tour by the Ukrainian leader of European capitals to shore up support for Kyiv, as Russian attacks escalate and negotiations stall.

"We are opening an undoubtedly new and very meaningful chapter in our relations," Zelensky said while standing in front of a Gripen, adding the "excellent aircraft" would help to protect Ukraine's sky from daily Russian air raids.

The letter of intent did not provide dates, but Kristersson said he expected the first planes to be delivered to Ukraine "within three years". Zelensky said he hoped for "first results" as early as 2026.

Zelensky launched his string of European visits hours after Russia's latest overnight barrage on Wednesday killed seven people -- including two children -- triggered power outages across Ukraine, and ripped into a kindergarten.

Russia fired 405 drones and 28 missiles at Ukraine between late Tuesday and early Wednesday -- most of which were intercepted -- Ukraine's air force said.

- Windows 'blown out' -

AFP journalists in Kyiv heard the buzzing of Russian drones and explosions throughout the night, and saw a pillar of smoke rising above the capital.

"My hands are still shaking," Kyiv resident Mariana Gorchenko told AFP.

"I jumped up, glad that my little one wasn't in the room where the windows were blown out," she said.

The strikes also damaged a kindergarten in the second-largest city of Kharkiv.

Ksenia Kalmykova, whose child was inside the building during the strike told AFP that she: "pushed the emergency services aside and ran over" after arriving at the site.

"Someone had cuts, someone had something else. Of course, there were hysterics," she said of the children's condition, adding "thank God, everyone is alive and well."

AFP crew saw rescuers distinguishing fire in the charred building whose windows were shattered and facade partly crumbled.

The attacks also targeted the country's energy infrastructure, leaving thousands without heating and electricity across Ukraine in the cold season, according to the energy ministry.

Russia said it had targeted Ukrainian energy facilities supplying the military, including with hypersonic missiles, in what it called retaliation for strikes on Russian civil infrastructure.

- 'No one wants to waste time' -

Zelensky visited Oslo earlier Wednesday for talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, and is also set to visit Brussels and London, a Ukrainian source told AFP.

Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's nearly four-year invasion have faltered.

US President Donald Trump this week shelved plans to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin for talks in Budapest, saying he did not want a "wasted" meeting.

Trump had said he would meet Putin in the Hungarian capital Budapest within two weeks, following what he called a productive phone call to end Russia's war.

But the Kremlin on Wednesday appeared to leave the door open for a summit, saying preparations were still ongoing.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday: "No one wants to waste time, neither President Trump nor President Putin."

The US leader has become increasingly frustrated with Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire, having so far failed to convince Putin to back down on his maximalist demands.

In Oslo, Zelensky backed Trump's proposal to make the current front line the basis for negotiations with Russia, but doubted Putin would accept it.

Ukraine and European allies have repeatedly rejected calls for Kyiv to give up land.

Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, launching the deadliest land war in Europe since World War II, that has so far left tens of thousands dead and displaced millions.

burs-asy/jbr/st

F.Garcia--TFWP