Zelenskyy hosts leaders from seven countries for regional summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted leaders and representatives from seven regional countries in Kyiv on Friday for the inaugural summit of the 'Carpathian Eight.' The group includes Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary, with participation from the European Union. The summit was convened to discuss deepening regional cooperation.

The meeting took place following a series of overnight Russian strikes across multiple Ukrainian regions. These attacks resulted in fires, injuries, and several deaths, providing a volatile backdrop to the diplomatic gathering.