Zelenskyy is to meet Trump at the UN as Russia bombards four Ukrainian regions with missiles and drones

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026.

Russia killed four people across at least four Ukrainian regions in a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes, launched hours before Zelenskyy was due to sit down with Trump at the United Nations in New York. Zelenskyy intends to press for an energy truce to shield Ukraine's heating and power infrastructure before winter arrives, after Russia hit Kyiv petrol stations the day after Trump prematurely declared such a truce already in place. Zelenskyy told Trump by phone on Sunday that he sees "diplomatic momentum" and "ideas for de-escalation steps", though Russia has given no signal it intends to pause its air campaign.

Trump's approval ratings have hit a record low, dragged down by high gas prices, with US midterm elections looming in November.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also expected in New York and is due to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy met CIA director John Ratcliffe at Shannon Airport yesterday as his plane was being refuelled on the tarmac.