President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to broker a peace deal in Ukraine, but as he prepares to take office, peace seems as elusive as ever

REUTERS/Mykola Synelnykov DNIPRO, Ukraine (Reuters) - "Why is everyone putting their hopes in Trump?" Liudmyla Parybus isn't holding her breath for the incoming U.S. president to end the war in Ukraine.

The newly inaugurated President of the USA, Donald Trump, is preparing the groundwork for a future agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Even stricter sanctions are expected to be the leverage to persuade Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Thursday to work with Ukraine and allies to offer Kyiv robust security guarantees if a ceasefire is negotiated with Russia, offering more support to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy with a 100-year partnership deal.

While air raid sirens during visits by foreign leaders have sounded before, it is rare for air defenses to actually have to fight off attacking drones.

Ukraine’s air defense systems shot down a drone near the presidential palace Thursday during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first visit to the wartorn country. Starmer said the drone threat was “a reminder of what Ukraine is facing every day” and that the war was brought about by “Russian aggression,

Russia unleashed a massive missile attack on Ukraine's electrical grid in the early hours of January 15, firing 43 missiles and more than 70 drones. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 30 missiles and 47 drones,

Since the beginning of the day, more than 150 attacks have been reported along the front lines, with Russian forces concentrating their heaviest pressure in the Pokrovsk direction, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.