Zelensky to Meet Trump at UN Amid Intensified Russian Attacks on Ukraine

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week, as Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine in recent days.

Overnight, Russian forces fired 40 missiles and deployed approximately 580 drones in a coordinated assault, killing at least three people and injuring dozens, Zelensky said on Saturday.

During his meeting with Trump, Zelensky indicated he would discuss Western-backed security guarantees for Ukraine as well as sanctions against Russia. Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized the need for international security assurances to prevent further Russian aggression.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the presence of any Western troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable and would be considered legitimate targets. Efforts led by the United States to negotiate a swift end to the conflict have stalled, with Russia ruling out a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky—a step Kyiv considers essential for achieving peace.

“We expect sanctions if there is no meeting between the leaders or, for example, no ceasefire,” Zelensky said in a statement released by the Ukrainian presidency on Saturday. “We are ready for a meeting with Putin. I have spoken about this—both bilateral and trilateral. He is not ready.”

In the latest attacks, Zelensky reported that a missile carrying cluster munitions struck an apartment building in the central city of Dnipro. Images shared on social media showed a burning building, damaged vehicles, and rescuers carrying civilians from the rubble.

Sergiy Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, confirmed that the strikes killed one person and injured 26 others, with one man reported in serious condition.