Russia pounded Ukraine with deadly missiles and drone strikes early on Thursday in a sweeping attack. Europe and U.S. responded quickly after the event, signaling potential security guarantees for Ukraine and underscoring the slim chances of the crisis ending soon.

At least 23 people were killed in the capital, Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described it as one of the biggest attacks on the city in recent months. At least 63 people were wounded in the hours-long assault, which damaged buildings in all city districts, officials told Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a group of European leaders on Thursday that it was important to produce a clear definition of security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a plan to secure a peace settlement with Russia.

Russia said its attack had hit military-industrial facilities and air bases, and that Ukraine had attacked Russian targets. The Kremlin said it was still interested in pursuing peace talks.

Europe condemns; Türkiye pushes talks

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels that two missiles had struck near the EU office within 20 seconds of each other. EU countries would soon come up with a 19th package of sanctions against Russia and were advancing work on how to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, she added.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the assault, which he said had damaged the British Council building. The European Union and Britain summoned Russian envoys to protest. There were no reports of casualties at either site.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday voiced his country's "readiness to do its utmost for the realization of high-level Russia-Ukraine meetings that will pave the way for peace." Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that it seems clear there will be no meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, during a statement alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

U.S. approves a potential $825m missile sale to Ukraine

The strikes took place less than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Alaska, a meeting that Trump hoped would advance his peace efforts.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump "was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised," given that the Ukraine crisis has been going on for a long time.

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential sale of air-launched cruise missiles and related equipment to Ukraine for an estimated $825 million, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

The potential sale of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles includes GPS guidance kits and electronic warfare defenses for the weapons, which have a range of "several hundred" miles according to one of the manufacturers, Reuters reported.

Ukraine's military said air defenses downed 563 of nearly 600 drones and 26 of 31 missiles launched by Russia across the country.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Russian air defenses destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones overnight in at least seven regions.

Ukraine's drone force said it had struck the Afipsky and Kuybyshevskyi oil refineries as part of that attack.

(With input from Reuters and Xinhua News Agency)