Kyiv:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has agreed to participate in US-proposed trilateral technical talks to be held in the United Arab Emirates.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy made this announcement during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Kyiv. The proposal for the talks has also been presented to Russia, which is expected to give a response soon.

Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's openness to the meeting in the UAE or any other location suggested by the US, noting that the American side is in contact with both Ukraine and Russia about holding the meeting by the end of October.

In discussing ongoing conflicts, Zelenskyy criticized Russian attacks on Ukraine, particularly the targeting of bridges in Kyiv over the past four days. He described Russia's actions as a "savage desire to escalate," pointing out that Russia has targeted warehouses and now bridges, leading to Ukraine's counteractions.

He further accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking constant escalation and relying on aggression to further the conflict, dismissing hopes that simple negotiations could end the war.

Regarding Ukraine's defense capabilities, Zelenskyy highlighted the effectiveness of "Bars" interceptor drones, which have a shoot-down rate of around 30%. He announced that Ukraine will receive 2,000 of these drones from Germany and is also working on the "Turrets" program and the development of small missiles, with expected progress by the second half of October.