Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped Russia’s war with his country would end “before winter” and that US president Donald Trump would help Kyiv to bring the fighting to an end.
The New York Times reports that Mr Zelensky said during a meeting with Mr Trump at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday: “I hope we will end this war, and president Trump will help us end this war.”
“I think we need to do this as quick as possible - before winter”, he added.
Mr Trump nodded and repeated his words with approval, the NYT added.
Mr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that his forces had struck two more oil refineries in the last 24 hours, however, piling pressure on the Kremlin to end the war by squeezing its war-weary economy.
Trump earlier warned that Russia had “unfortunately lost control” of its oil industry, as he urged Ukraine to halt long-range strikes on refineries.
Russian strikes meanwhile caused power outages in seven Ukrainian oblasts, amid growing fears protracted strikes could leave thousands without heating as winter looms.
Read MoreAll the ways Putin could attack the UK with devastating consequences
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Kemi Badenoch accuses Andy Burnham of ‘fiddling’ while Putin threatens to burn Europe
Key Points
- Zelensky arrives in New York for UN General Assembly meeting
- Zelensky responds to Trump's post that says Putin has lost control of 'diesel oil industry'
- Major Moscow oil refinery halts crude processing after Ukrainian attack sparks fires
- Macron says millions of Ukrainian families to be deprived of heating in winter
- Five dead in Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions, officials say
Ukraine reacts as EU removes two Russian oligarchs from sanctions list: ‘Unacceptable’
05:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe EU is set to remove sanctions imposed on two Russian oligarchs, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, who were targeted after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
France pushed for Usmanov’s removal, citing “national security” concerns, while Luxembourg backed removing Fridman, who is challenging the freezing of his assets.
Ukraine has condemned the decision as “unacceptable”.
“Moscow is celebrating because it got what it wanted: a sense of impunity, the humiliation of the EU, and division among Europeans,” Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha said on X.
Latvia initially opposed the move but agreed to abstain after securing concessions from France, including talks on French nuclear deterrence cooperation and a stronger French military presence in Latvia.
The EU agreed to extend sanctions on about 2,600 other individuals and entities for three years, rather than renewing them every six months.
Senior Nato commander says Putin becoming ‘increasingly cavalier’ and ‘dangerous’
04:40 , Maroosha MuzaffarA senior Nato commander has warned that Vladimir Putin is becoming “increasingly cavalier, dangerous and risk accepting”, as the Ukraine war continues and Russia seeks to weaken Western unity.
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, who serves as Nato’s deputy commander in Europe, said Moscow could try to test Nato through more aggressive actions, including sabotage and espionage.
He warned Nato members to be cautious in their response because, in his assessment, Russia could be trying to provoke the alliance into an “overreaction”.
He said that Nato members needed to be aware of the “febrile environment”.
Zelensky says US has not yet given a ‘concrete answer’ on Patriot missile interceptors
04:20 , Maroosha MuzaffarUkraine urgently wants the US to provide more Patriot missile interceptors to protect its cities from Russia’s ballistic missile attacks, but Washington has not yet given Kyiv a firm commitment, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
“They are positive to help us, but I didn’t get the very concrete answer,” he said.
The US is itself facing a shortage of Patriot interceptors after using large numbers to defend against Iranian attacks in the Middle East.
As Ukraine’s stocks run low, Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities are becoming more vulnerable to Russia’s attacks.
Zelensky says Kyiv ready for an ‘energy ceasefire’ with Russia
03:55 , Maroosha MuzaffarVolodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv is ready for an “energy ceasefire” with Russia, under which both sides would stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure.
He raised the proposal with US president Donald Trump at the UN in New York and said he was also willing to meet Vladimir Putin in a trilateral meeting with Trump.
“We are ready for any kind of format of energy ceasefire” if Russia agrees to “not attack our energy system,” Zelensky told reporters.
He said the “American side will find a way … to bring them to any kind of negotiations”.
Trump said he believed the war could end sooner than expected, although there is little indication so far that Putin is ready for a settlement.
Zelensky is also urging India, China and Turkey to stop buying Russian oil, arguing that the revenues help fund Moscow’s war effort.
In full: Senior NATO commander warns Putin is becoming more cavalier and open to risk as Ukraine war drags on
03:00 , Dan Haygarth
Senior NATO commander warns Putin is becoming more cavalier and open to risk as Ukraine war drags on
How Ukraine’s devastating attacks on Putin’s oil refineries brought the war to Russia’s doorstep
02:00 , Dan HaygarthOn Sunday, just as polling closed in Russia’s parliamentary elections, Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone strikes on Moscow since the war broke out over four years ago.
Striking images from the city showed a large refinery in flames and vast plumes of smoke billowing from chimneys. Over 450 drones were shot down in what the region’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin called “the most massive” attack it had seen.
The attacks came shortly after US president Donald Trump had ordered both sides to quit their attacks on energy infrastructure. But both countries have continued to attack each other despite the pleas.
Read more:
How Ukraine’s devastating attacks on Putin’s oil refineries brought the war to Russia
Watch - Trump's full speech to the UN: 'Globalist conspiracies', annihilating Iran and 'Super Intelligence'
01:00 , Dan HaygarthSenior NATO commander warns Putin is becoming more cavalier and open to risk as Ukraine war drags on
23:59 , Dan HaygarthVladimir Putin is becoming "increasingly cavalier, dangerous and risk accepting," as his war in Ukraine drags on and as he seeks to divide Western allies, NATO's deputy commander in Europe said Tuesday.
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer spoke to The Associated Press at a security conference in Estonia amid warnings from some European leaders that Moscow is planning to test NATO's collective defence pact with bolder attacks that have already included sabotage and espionage.
Stringer warned that NATO members need to be aware of the "febrile environment" and careful in their response because Putin would like to provoke the alliance into an "overreaction."
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said last week that Russia might target NATO nations with deliberate drone or missile strikes while claiming they were accidental. French president Emmanuel Macron agreed and has asked his government to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure against potential drone attacks and cyberattacks.
Other European officials say the threat from Russia is serious but have called for calm.
In focus: Inside the real wargame: How Britain would actually react if Russia were to strike
23:00 , James ReynoldsInfrastructure collapse, evacuation orders and the army on the streets to protect food supplies? As ‘The Wargame’ simulates the government’s response after an attack, Chris Stokel-Walker looks at how we’d be alerted to the emergency and how prepared (and safe) the UK are from a cyberstrike:
The real wargame: How Britain would actually react if Russia were to strike
Trump's frustration with Russia-Ukraine war mounts
22:30 , Dan HaygarthIn his address, Donald Trump touched on Russia's continuing war against Ukraine - a conflict that during his 2024 campaign he predicted would be resolved on day one of his second term. He once again expressed hope that the conflict will soon be resolved.
Mr Trump hasn't obscured that his patience is being tested by Ukraine's targeting of Russia's diesel refineries - an issue that's added to the global oil markets' volatility - and Russia's targeting of Ukraine's energy grid.
Mr Trump last week asserted that he got the two sides to agree to not target each other's energy infrastructure.
Mr Zelensky had said he was willing to go along with Mr Trump's plan if Russia abided by it.
Russia said it could only go along with Trump's energy truce proposal if Western energy sanctions on Moscow were lifted first.
The two sides have continued carrying out strikes on refineries and other energy infrastructure.
Mr Trump noted that last week he signed a new sanctions bill targeting Moscow. It empowers him to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas.
The legislation includes an exception for countries that import less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports. Trump, however, has yet to enact the stiff penalties.
"If necessary, I will have to use them," Mr Trump said. "It's time to stop the killing."
All the ways Putin could attack the UK with devastating consequences
22:01 , James ReynoldsAs it is revealed that drones are targeting Britain’s military bases almost daily, leaving the UK vulnerable to growing threats from Russia and Iran, defence expert Francis Tusa explains how and where a Russian hybrid warfare campaign could start and spread:
All the ways Putin could attack UK with devastating consequences
Zelensky says he discussed peace efforts, energy ceasefire with Trump
21:40 , Dan HaygarthVolodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he discussed an energy ceasefire and how to end the war with Russia during his meeting with Donald Trump.
Talking to the media after a 40-minute meeting with Trump and his team, Zelensky said that Kyiv was ready for any format of the energy ceasefire with Russia, but there had been no discussion of Ukraine unilaterally halting its attacks on Russian refineries.
Zelensky reiterated that he was ready to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin at a trilateral meeting with Trump, adding that he hoped that the US would find a way to bring Moscow to any kind of negotiations.
Trump says he would get Ukraine war 'done'
21:23 , Dan Haygarth
Donald Trump has told world leaders as he said he would get the Ukraine war “done”, claiming both sides “have had it”.
In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on the Ukraine war, Mr Trump said: “We’re working very closely with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, and we will get that one done.
“It’s going to happen, I think, more quickly than people understand.
“They’ve had it – 25,000 young people, mostly soldiers, a month are dying, 25,000 a month.
“And I look at those battlefield pictures, and I really don’t want to see them any more. It’s so horrible to see – 25,000 a month, both sides.”
Greenland deal protects Europe, says Trump as he hails ‘bond’ after tensions
21:20 , Dan HaygarthA deal between the US and Denmark over Greenland will make Europe safer, Donald Trump has told world leaders as he said he would get the Ukraine war “done”, claiming both sides “have had it”.
In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the US president also said Iran faced a choice of reaching an agreement to end the Middle East conflict or face annihilation, as he would “drive them into hell with no chance of survival”.
However, Mr Trump claimed Tehran would not make a pact until after US mid-term elections in November in an apparent attempt to appease domestic voters angered at the higher costs fuelled by the conflict.
He also again levelled the charge that Iran had developed a missile “capable of hitting Europe” as he sought to justify his military intervention.
Washington announced last week that a deal had been reached with fellow Nato member Denmark over Greenland, which had been the focus of a fractious diplomatic standoff after the president made repeated threats to annex the semi-autonomous Arctic territory.
At the UN, Mr Trump hailed it as an “unprecedented agreement regarding the northern frontier of North America”.
Watch: The woman ridding Ukraine of Russian mines
21:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine has been littered with mines since Putin invaded the country in 2022, posing a devastating risk to civilians.
Antonina Kulhava, a humanitarian deminer, tells Maira Butt how she is trying to make her country safer:
The Independent View: Our people-pleasing PM faces his ultimate challenge in Donald Trump
20:00 , James ReynoldsEditorial: Andy Burnham came to power saying all the right things – now, when he and the US president meet for the first time at the United Nations in New York, he would do well to show due deference and exploit the one area where they both agree: keeping Britain and America ahead in artificial intelligence:
Our people-pleasing PM faces his ultimate challenge in Donald Trump
UK supporting Saudi Arabia could help keep fuel prices down, minister claims
19:00 , James ReynoldsProviding British military support to Saudi Arabia should help contain additional surges in fuel costs, according to a defence minister.
Luke Pollard explained that sending an RAF refuelling plane to the region was intended to stop "further escalation" within the Red Sea, a crucial corridor for oil shipments currently targeted by Yemeni Houthis backed by Iran.
In remarks to the BBC, Mr Pollard stated that while the government has moved to reduce living costs, "ultimately" only stability across Ukraine and the Middle East will lower fuel prices.
He said: “We’re working with our friends to try and deliver that de-escalation, and part of the reason why we deployed the RAF Voyager to Saudi Arabia, for instance, is to ensure there’s not further escalation in the Red Sea, which could further risk our fuel prices.”
Supporting Saudi Arabia could curb rising fuel prices, minister claims
Messy, troubled, unpredictable: Diplomats describe a world in turmoil as UN opens annual meeting
18:00 , James ReynoldsThere is not much that diplomats can agree on these days. But if asked about the state of the world ahead of the annual meeting at the U.N. General Assembly, heads of state and government and ministers alike will describe a globe in massive turmoil.
With two escalating wars raging in Europe and the Middle East, a global economy in flux, and a shifting world order, international leaders are arriving in New York on Tuesday to an outlook that is massively different from this time last year.
“World leaders will be gathering at the United Nations in an era of deep uncertainty,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters recently. “At the same time, power is shifting. The world is changing. And our institutions must change with it.”
Messy, troubled, unpredictable: Diplomats describe a world in turmoil as UN opens annual meeting
Historic first or symbolic gesture? What Canada’s associate membership with the European Union could look like
17:00 , James ReynoldsEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has proposed Canada becoming the EU’s first associate member, just as relations between Ottawa and its historic ally in Washington deteriorate.
Canadian premier Mark Carney said he was seeking a “unique” arrangement with the bloc, as he pushes for new alliances in the wake of repeated threats from US president Donald Trump against Canada’s sovereignty.
However there is currently no such status as “associate member” set out in the EU’s treaties, and such an alliance would force a significant shift in EU policy. It could also create new questions for the future of ties with the United Kingdom and Australia.
Here’s what it could mean:
Historic first or symbolic gesture? What Canada’s associate EU membership could mean
Pictured: Ukraine hits Russian oil refineries in Ufa and Samara
16:20 , James ReynoldsUkraine's military has struck Russian oil refineries in the cities of Ufa and Samara, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Tuesday.
The attacks, carried out on Monday and overnight, caused fires at both sites, the General Staff said on the Telegram messaging app.
What did Trump say about Ukraine and Russia at the UN general assembly?
16:08 , James ReynoldsIn a much shorter speech than last year, Trump made little mention of Russia and Ukraine.
He said he believed that conflict would be over sooner than people expect.
He also indicated they’ve “had it”, pointing to the huge casualty figures.
Trump is still expected to meet Volodymyr Zelensky today, pushing for a ceasefire around striking energy infrastructure.
US troop rotation 'on its way' to Lithuania, says president
15:40 , James ReynoldsA US troop rotation is on its way to Lithuania, president Gitanas Nausèda said on Tuesday, as doubt lingers over the future of Washington’s military commitment to Europe.
“I have just received confirmation that the new rotation of U.S. troops is already on its way to Lithuania!” the president wrote on X.
“We are grateful to Donald Trump and the U.S. administration for this decision, which is important not only for Lithuania, but also for the security of the entire region.”
The Pentagon is looking to review American troop dispositions in Europe by the end of the year, fuelling anxiety among Nato allies.
European nations fear substantial reductions to the roughly 80,000 U.S. troops deployed across the continent, alongside potential retaliation against countries that President Donald Trump believes failed to adequately support the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Donald Trump takes the stage...
15:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump is now speaking at the UN general assembly in New York.
He begins by thanking the crowd and acknowledging his fellow leaders and dignitaries.
“America is back and our country is stronger today than ever before,” he begins, hailing the strength of the economy and military.
Watch: Zelensky confirms Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil and in the Black Sea
15:25 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky confirms that Ukraine’s forces have struck two Russian oil refineries and targets in the Black Sea over the past 24 hours.
Sharing video of a strike on social media, he says: “We are taking the war back to where it came from. We are bringing peace closer for Ukraine. I thank the units involved for their precision.”
I thank our warriors for the results they achieve every day in carrying out Ukraine’s long-range sanctions. Over the past 24 hours, two oil refineries were hit – one in Bashkortostan and one in the Samara region. There were also strikes in the Black Sea. We are taking the war… pic.twitter.com/Ry9hptbE5M
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 22, 2026
