Zelenskyy To Meet Trump At UN As Russia Intensifies Missile And Drone Attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he will meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week as Russia intensified attacks across Ukraine.

Overnight, Russia conducted one of its largest aerial assaults, firing 40 missiles and around 580 drones, resulting in at least three deaths and dozens of injuries, Zelenskyy said on Saturday.

In retaliation, Ukrainian forces targeted Russian fuel and energy facilities in the Samara region, killing four people, according to the local governor. This marked one of the deadliest Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory since the invasion began in 2022.

Zelenskyy confirmed that his upcoming meeting with Trump will include discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. Ukraine continues to seek Western-backed security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any Western troops in Ukraine would be deemed legitimate targets. A US-led push for a swift end to the conflict has stalled, and Russia has ruled out a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy-a step Kyiv considers crucial for peace.

"We expect sanctions if there is no meeting between the leaders or, for example, no ceasefire," Zelenskyy said in a statement. He added, "We are ready for a meeting with Putin, both bilaterally and trilaterally, but he is not ready."

Casualties and Damage

In Dnipro, a missile armed with cluster munitions struck an apartment building, killing one person and injuring at least 30, including one in serious condition, according to regional governor Sergiy Lysak. Zelenskyy shared images showing burning cars, damaged buildings, and rescuers carrying civilians from the rubble.

Russia claimed that Ukrainian drones destroyed fuel and energy facilities in the Samara region, while Ukrainian forces reported damage to the Saratov Oil Refinery and Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery. The Russian defence ministry said 149 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight, including 27 over Saratov and 15 over Samara.

Ongoing Fighting

Fighting remains intense in multiple regions. In Kharkiv, heavy clashes continued near Kupiansk, a rail hub recaptured by Ukraine in 2022. Russia also reported capturing the village of Berezove in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The strikes followed alleged violations of Estonian and Polish airspace by Russian fighter jets and drones, raising concerns of further provocations against NATO countries. Zelenskyy reiterated the need for joint measures with other nations to counter drone attacks.

Peace Talks

Three rounds of peace talks in Istanbul have yielded little beyond large-scale prisoner exchanges. Russia continues to demand full control of the Donbas region, while Ukraine rejects territorial concessions and calls for European peacekeeping forces, a proposal Moscow has rejected.

With AFP Inputs