Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to meet U.S. President Donald Trump next week. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Zelensky aims to discuss Ukraine’s security needs and stronger sanctions on Russia. This comes as Russia intensifies its attacks across Ukraine, killing civilians and damaging infrastructure.
In one of its largest aerial assaults so far, Russia launched 40 missiles and over 580 drones overnight. At least three civilians were killed, and dozens more were injured. A missile carrying cluster munitions struck an apartment building in Dnipro. Photos shared by Zelensky showed burned-out cars, a damaged building, and emergency workers rescuing people. Dnipropetrovsk officials confirmed one death and 26 injuries from the attack.
Zelensky stressed the importance of international support and said security guarantees were now more urgent than ever. He said he would push Trump to support Western-backed security pledges and maintain tough sanctions on Russia. Although Ukraine remains open to peace talks, Zelensky stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is not ready” for any meaningful dialogue. “We are ready to meet. He is not,” Zelensky said.
Tensions have also spilled beyond Ukraine’s borders. Estonia accused Russia of violating its airspace with fighter jets. Poland recently reported around 20 Russian drones flying over its territory. These incidents raised concerns in NATO countries and prompted renewed calls for joint air defense strategies. Zelensky urged allied nations to help intercept drones over Ukraine directly.
Meanwhile, fighting continues on the ground. Russia claimed it captured the village of Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk. Ukrainian forces reported heavy combat in Kupiansk, a key railway hub in the Kharkiv region. Russia also claimed to repel massive Ukrainian drone attacks in its own Volgograd, Rostov, and Saratov regions. Peace talks remain stalled, and Ukraine continues to reject Russian demands to surrender territory.