Zelenskyy: Kyiv and Washington want Ukraine war to end before winter
After meeting Trump in New York, Zelenskyy said both the US and Ukraine want the war to end before winter, with talks also covering a winter air defence package and possible de-escalation steps.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that both Kyiv and Washington want to see the war in Ukraine come to an end before winter, following a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Describing the meeting as positive and productive, Zelenskyy said on social media that both the US and Ukraine share the goal of ending what he called a senseless Russian war before winter arrives. He said the two leaders discussed possible de-escalatory steps that could open the way to diplomacy, as well as a winter air defence package for Ukraine and other bilateral and multilateral matters.
Strikes on energy infrastructure
Since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has maintained near-constant bombardment of Ukrainian cities and regions, with a particular focus on energy infrastructure during winter. Ukraine, for its part, has targeted Russia's oil sector as part of a deep strike campaign meant to weaken the Russian economy and its war effort, regularly hitting refineries, terminals and depots. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that strikes over the previous 24 hours had hit a refinery in Bashkortostan and another in the Samara region.
Speaking alongside Zelenskyy in New York, Trump acknowledged that Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy facilities had dealt Russia a serious blow, while also affecting diesel prices. A day earlier, Trump had written on social media that Russia had lost control of its diesel industry due to the war, with many refineries destroyed or temporarily shut down. He called the war ridiculous and never-ending, adding that around 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed every month.
Zelenskyy responded that Ukraine would be willing to stop striking Russia's energy sector if Moscow did the same. He said Ukraine's energy sector, critical infrastructure and food exports should no longer be targeted by Russia, which would allow for matching de-escalation steps on Ukraine's side.
