Explosion Rocks Chernobyl Nuclear Site As Zelenskyy Signals Readiness For Peace Talks

A drone armed with a warhead struck the former nuclear plant at Chernobyl early Friday, damaging the outer protective building and briefly starting a fire. Radiation levels are normal, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

The Details: The IAEA team stationed at the site heard an explosion and was told a drone had struck the outer shell which protects the damaged reactor. The IAEA said the inner protective layer of the building had not been breached and radiation levels outside remain normal, according to CNN.

Russia has denied involvement in the attack. 

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The drone attack came just hours before world leaders, including Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were scheduled to meet at the Munich Security Conference to discuss possible plans to end the war in Ukraine. 

According to the New York Times, Zelenskyy said the explosion at Chernobyl showed that Russia does not intend to end the war and Putin "is definitely not preparing for negotiations."

Peace Talks: However, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Munich Security Conference that he is willing to participate in Trump's peace initiative and eventual talks with Russia.

"We are ready for talks with the U.S., allies — and then after we have agreed on a position, we will talk to Russians," Zelenskyy said, according to Bloomberg. 

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Ukraine should be involved in peace negotiations with Russia, but that Russia should also be allowed to return to the G8. 

"They should be sitting at the [G8] table. I think Putin would love to be back," Trump said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said that a peace agreement that includes a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is "unlikely," causing concern that Ukraine may have to give up land in an agreement to end the war. Hegseth also said that it is not likely that a peace deal would include Ukraine joining NATO. 

Markets React: U.S. markets are slightly higher as investors monitor the latest developments with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), tracking the S&P 500, up 0.1% at $610.36 and the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) tracking the Nasdaq 100 index, up 0.1% at $536.71 at the time of publication Friday. 

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