Russian strikes caused widespread blackouts and cut off phone networks in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernigiv, with repairs stalled by ongoing drone attacks yesterday.

Ukraine has restricted electricity consumption across the country in recent weeks following systematic Russian strikes on energy sites and the rail network.

The Chernigiv region, which was briefly occupied when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, has come under particularly heavy bombardment in recent weeks.

The Ukrainian energy ministry said repair crews were unable to begin restoring damaged facilities due to "relentless" Russian drone attacks.

Meanwhile, European leaders issued a joint statement with Ukraine yesterday backing US President Donald Trump's call for peace talks to begin based on the current frontline with Russia.

"We strongly support President Trump's position that the fighting should stop immediately, and that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations," said a statement signed by Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, EU chiefs Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Friedrich Merz, Britain's Keir Starmer and Italy's Giorgia Meloni.

"We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force," said the leaders, who also included those of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Poland.

EU leaders are set to close ranks in support of Ukraine at a Brussels summit on Thursday.

Trump has announced his intention to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest in coming weeks, but it was not clear whether Zelensky -- who was shut out from the previous meeting in August in Alaska -- would attend.