Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump on sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York, September 22, 2026
EA on TVP World: Is The UN Relevant?
EA on India’s News 9: Can Europe Defend Ukraine Without Trump?
Tuesday’s Coverage: Zelensky to Meet Trump in New York
UPDATE 2008 GMT:
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the UN General Assembly of the impact of Russia’s invasion, noting that even a partial victory will not be enough for Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky explained that Putin will not settle for the Donbas — the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — in eastern Ukraine and will try to overrun other cities.
He said 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?
He reminds 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.”
The President said Kyiv’s counter-attacks against Russia will continue, “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.”
He asked other countries to 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.
UPDATE 1657 GMT:
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that the Trump Administration has invited Vladimir Putin to the G20 Summit in Miami in December.
To solve problems, you have to meet with the people that you disagree with or the people that you might have some issues with, so we’ve invited president Putin to the G20.
We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders. We hope that’s an invitation he’ll accept.
UPDATE 1450 GMT:
The toll in Kyiv has risen to two civilians murdered and 43 injured by Russia’s overnight strikes.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York.
UPDATE 1159 GMT:
The Polish army reports that a Russian military helicopter briefly violated Poland’s airspace.
The Mi-8 helicopter crossed 300 meters into Poland from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and remained there for 42 seconds.
The army said, “The nature of the incident suggests that Russia is once again testing the readiness of our air defense.”
UPDATE 1150 GMT:
The toll has risen to two civilians murdered and 25 injured from Russia’s overnight strikes on Kyiv.
Drones struck a business center, a transport facility, and a non-residential building. Ukrainian oil company Ukrnafta said Russia hit one of its petrol stations, the sixth attacked in recent weeks.
The Russians also hit a historic market near the central railway station.
The European Union’s ambassador Katarína Mathernová reported “three enormous, deafening explosions” in a span of 15 to 20 minutes.
Just entered my office and heard a very loud bang. A jet powered drone hit an object just behind a building seen from my office window.
This follows on earlier hits this morning, also close to [the EU] Delegation.
Also two gasoline station were hit in Kyiv city.
This Russian terror never stops.
UPDATE 0702 GMT:
Continuing its attacks on ships using Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Russia has killed the Ukrainian captain of an Antigua-flagged cargo vessel.
The crew was evacuated by the Ukrainian Navy, and a fire was extinguished.
Last week a Tanzanian-flagged vessel was attacked while en route to a Ukrainian port. The captain was killed and three crew members were injured.
UPDATE 0653 GMT:
At least three civilians in Kyiv have been injured by Russia’s overnight strikes damaging warehouses and gas stations.
Air defenses downed 119 of 161 drones, 82 of them jet-power, which were fired by Russia across Ukraine overnight. The Russians also launched three Banderol missiles.
Strikes were recorded at 18 locations.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met Donald Trump in New York on Tuesday, emphasizing Kyiv’s need for anti-ballistic missiles to fend off Russian airstrikes this winter.
Zelensky also encouraged the Trump Administration’s pursuit of a mutual Ukraine-Russia ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure.
At the press appearance before the meeting, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, little of substance was said. Trump rambled about his domestic position, defying reality with his claims of great accomplishments, while Zelensky sat impassive for most of the occasion.
Trump did proclaim, “I think they’re going to make a deal. I think’s something’s going to happen.” However, he added, I don’t want to say what the deal is.”
He said the Ukrainians are “very capable people” with — nodding to Zelensky sitting beside him –– “very capable leadership”. Ukraine’s deep strike campaign against Russia’s oil refineries is “a serious hit against the Russians.
Facing a record price of more than $6.50 per gallon for diesel in the US, largely because of his failing War on Iran, Trump continued, “It’s also a serious hit on the price of diesel. Diesel fuel has gone up quite a bit….We’ll be talking about that.”
Zelensky: “We Are Ready For An Energy Ceasefire”
Zelensky told the press after the meeting:
We are ready for an energy ceasefire if [Russia does] not attack our energy system, our electricity, heating, and water supply. This is our proposal. We are thankful to the American side. They will share it with the Russians. I don’t know the Russian position.
The President encouraged Trump, meeting China’s Xi Jinping on Wednesday, to urge Beijing’s pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the Russian invasion.
He reiterated his call for “a winter package of Patriot missiles”, licenses to produce Patriots, and security guarantees.
“The most important move President Trump can make,” said Zelensky, was organization of a trilateral meeting including Putin.
