Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, September 24, 2025 (Richard Drew/AP)

Wednesday’s Coverage: Zelensky’s Brief Encounter With Trump In New York

UPDATE 0715 GMT:

A joint statement from 51 countries has condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s ports and on shipping in the Black Sea, calling for safe passage.

Russia’s airstrikes are trying to enforce a blockade of the ports, crippling agricultural exports and threatening food security.

In the past week, Russia has killed captains of two ships and injured crew members.

UPDATE 0700 GMT:

Two civilians were murdered and eight injured by Russian ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv overnight.

Russia launched 282 attack drones, including jet-powered UAVs; Zircon anti-ship missiles; and Iskander-M, S-400, and KN-23 ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s air defenses downed 219 drones, four Zircon missiles, three ballistic missiles, and one Banderol munition. Strikes were recorded at 13 locations.

The Russians attacked as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky was meeting with members of the US Congress, discussing the recently-adopted bill expanding sanctions on Russia.

“Right now, the United States has an opportunity to respond strongly,” Zelensky posted. “We need ballistic missile interceptors to protect lives. Sanctions against Russia and those helping it make money must be implemented.”

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken of Ukraine’s defiance of Russia’s 55-month full-scale invasion.

Zelensky told the Assembly, “Ukrainians did not choose this war. We choose not to die, not to lose our country, our families, not to lose our independence, our freedom.”

He noted that even a partial victory would not be enough for Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader would not settle for the Donbas — the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — in eastern Ukraine and would try to overrun other cities.

Putin was “patient zero” who launched the invasion: “The longer Putin is able to wage war, the more evil he will leave behind in this world.”

Zelensky then spoke of Moscow’s aerial attacks:

Russia has used over 2,100 missiles against us. More than 950 of them were ballistic missiles. They launch jet-powered Shahed [drones] every hour… We are fighting them 24/7….

[This is] to make life harder for the economy and to disrupt our lives. They disrupt children at school. Would your country survive something like this?

Kyiv’s counter-attacks against Russia will continue, he explained: “Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very hard for us. But in response we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too.”

Meanwhile, other countries should step up sanctions pressure on Moscow:

Please, everyone here, don’t be the last to join those who defend life. Be the first to say “we guarantee security”. Thank you to everyone who helps and everyone who stands with us – with our people, with our children.