Volodymyr Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky is a Ukrainian politician and former actor who was elected President of Ukraine in 2019. Before entering politics he gained fame as a comedian and producer, notably starring in the television series "Servant of the People", in which he played a schoolteacher who becomes president. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 he has led the country's wartime leadership and become the principal international spokesperson for Ukraine.
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Ukraine's cabinet backs monument to Hetman Mazepa in central Kyiv on site of dismantled Lenin statue
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has endorsed a Ministry of Culture proposal to erect a monument to Hetman Ivan Mazepa on Taras Shevchenko Boulevard in Kyiv, on the site of the Lenin monument toppled during the Euromaidan in 2013. The initiative was put forward by President Volodymyr Zelensky in June and is being implemented under a presidential decree.
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Ukrainian citizen attacks Benedictine monastery in Poland, killing at least one priest
A 31-year-old Ukrainian citizen carried out a knife attack on the morning of 24 September at a Benedictine sisters' monastery in Jarosław, in southeastern Poland, killing at least one priest and injuring five other people. The attacker was detained at the scene. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk both responded, with Zelensky calling it a "horrible crime" and Tusk pledging full enforcement of Polish law.
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Norway announces 85 billion kroner ($9 billion) Ukraine aid package for 2027
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced an 85 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately $9 billion) aid package for Ukraine for 2027 during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Finnish President Alexander Stubb on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September. The majority of the funding will go to military assistance, with air defence as a key priority, alongside humanitarian aid and energy infrastructure protection.
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El Mundo reports CIA warning of Russian drone plot against Spain, France or Italy; Macron and Crosetto reject claim
Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that the CIA shared intelligence with several European governments about an alleged Russian drone operation targeting Spain, France, or Italy, with launches from containers hidden on civilian ships in international waters. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto publicly rejected the report, with Macron saying the CIA did not inform French services about such an attack and Crosetto calling the El Mundo publication baseless.
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Zelensky asks NATO's Rutte for 100 Patriot missiles a month as Kyiv endures three waves of ballistic strikes
President Volodymyr Zelensky met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in New York on 24 September 2026 and pressed for Patriot interceptors and a winter air-defense support package, as Kyiv came under three waves of Russian ballistic strikes during the talks. Zelensky set out a quantitative ask of 100 Patriot missiles per month, or 300 for the winter, and said only Patriot interceptors are currently effective against ballistic missiles. He also pointed to progress against cruise missiles and jet-powered Shahed drones, and to a joint European anti-ballistic system called Freyja that could be operational within a year.
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Russia launches large-scale combined missile and drone strike on Ukraine overnight, killing two in Kyiv
On the night of 24 September 2026, Russia attacked Ukraine with Zircon anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 282 drones, with the main strikes directed at Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast and Odesa Oblast. Ukrainian air defence destroyed or suppressed 227 targets. Two people were killed and eight injured in Kyiv, and damage was reported in multiple regions.
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Zelensky declares Ukraine ready for energy, grain and maritime ceasefires as Russia rejects energy proposal
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump and announced Ukraine is ready for reciprocal ceasefires in energy, grain and maritime domains. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 23 September that both sides expressed interest in a limited ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the energy proposal and Russia's Vladimir Putin again insisted on maximalist war aims. The prospect of a trilateral meeting was left to the G20 summit in Miami on 14–15 December, where Putin's participation remains disputed.
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Putin envoy meets Trump administration officials in New York during UN General Assembly
Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, traveled to the United States for meetings with representatives of President Donald Trump's administration, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The talks took place in New York during the UN General Assembly session and are described as a continuation of an earlier Kremlin meeting between Putin and US representatives. The visit comes as 50 countries and the European Union issued a joint statement at the UN calling on Russia to cease fire — a statement the United States did not join.
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Russia launches massive ballistic missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight
Russia struck Kyiv overnight on 23–24 September with a combined ballistic missile and drone barrage, killing two people and injuring at least eight across multiple districts. President Zelensky said 60% of the ballistic missiles aimed at Kyiv were intercepted and that the strike coincided with his meeting with U.S. congressmen about the Lindsey Graham sanctions bill. The attack came hours after Ukraine agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire and 51 UN member states called on Russia to follow suit.
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Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Kravchenko registered residence in Vienna after leaving Ukraine
Former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and his wife Oleksandra registered their residence at an office address in central Vienna, according to Ukrainska Pravda, citing documents from Austria's Central Register of Residence. The registration followed Kravchenko's departure from Ukraine on 14 September, his suspension by President Zelensky the same evening, and the Verkhovna Rada's 317-vote acceptance of his dismissal on 15 September. Kravchenko remained abroad after his self-arranged business trip to Paris ended on 18 September and tendered his resignation on 21 September.
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At UN General Assembly, Zelensky calls Putin 'patient zero' of global war, unveils FREYJA air-defense program, and warns of painful winter for Russia
President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, calling Vladimir Putin a "patient zero" spreading war, announcing the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, and disclosing that Russia is using citizens of 47 countries in its war against Ukraine. He detailed Ukrainian strike figures, threatened retaliation against Russian energy infrastructure this winter, and unveiled the FREYJA anti-missile defense program with 10 partner countries. The speech followed a day of high-level diplomacy, including his meeting with US President Donald Trump and a Rubio-Lavrov exchange on a possible energy ceasefire.
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Zelensky says Russia gained only 90–100 sq km net in 2026 at cost of 260,000–270,000 Russian casualties
In a Wall Street Journal interview during his US visit, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces captured around 890 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2026 while Ukraine's Defense Forces deoccupied around 800 square kilometers, leaving a net Russian gain of roughly 90–100 square kilometers at a cost he put at 260,000–270,000 Russian casualties.
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51 UN member states call on Russia to agree to unconditional ceasefire; US does not join
On 23 September, during the High-Level Week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, a group of UN member states issued a joint statement calling on Russia to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and engage in meaningful peace negotiations. The statement, presented by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, notes that Ukraine had already agreed to such a ceasefire since March 2025. The United States did not join the appeal.
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Zelensky says Ukraine ready for Black Sea safe-passage deal, awaits Russia's response
Speaking at the sixth summit of the International Crimea Platform on 23 September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine has agreed to a regime of safe passage for vessels in the Black Sea and is waiting for Russia's official reply through mediators. Egypt, India and Turkey have submitted written proposals, and Zelensky linked the disruption of Black Sea exports of grain, fertilizers, diesel and oil to Russia's 2014 occupation and militarization of Crimea.
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Zelenskyy discloses annual frontline figures, confirms readiness for trilateral summit with Trump and Putin
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Zelenskyy said Russia captured 890 km of Ukrainian territory in 2026 while Ukraine liberated 800 km, leaving roughly a 100 km net gain for Moscow. He also cited 270,000 Russian casualties this year and stated that "almost everything on the battlefield has stalled." Speaking after his 22 September meeting with Donald Trump in New York, Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet Putin with Trump's help, while the Kremlin's spokesman said there are no preconditions for a "peace track" and repeated that Zelenskyy could come to Moscow.
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Polish and Belarusian foreign ministers meet in New York, first at this level since 2016
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, describing the encounter as a "breakthrough" in bilateral relations. According to Sikorski, the meeting was the first at this level between Poland and Belarus likely since 2016. Topics included the border situation, regional security, and Sikorski's request that Belarus not allow Russia to launch drones and missiles through its territory. Sikorski also announced Poland will soon open a new embassy building in Minsk.
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Rubio to meet Lavrov in New York on Wednesday during UN General Assembly
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, September 23, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The meeting comes a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky met President Donald Trump in New York, and against statements from both Moscow and Washington suggesting no ceasefire is currently in place.
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Rubio says no Ukraine-Russia energy ceasefire yet, but both sides interested in limited deal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is currently no energy ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia, but that both sides have expressed interest in a limited ceasefire covering energy and grain. Speaking after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Rubio said the war would end through negotiations rather than a decisive military victory, and that US President Donald Trump remains ready to mediate. The comments come a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump in New York with energy ceasefire among the main topics.
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Zelensky meets Japanese PM Takaichi in New York, invites her to Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York. Zelensky thanked Japan for its ongoing support during Russia's war and invited Takaichi to visit Kyiv and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which Japan helped restore after a Russian drone strike.
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Tsikhanouskaya at UNGA: Lukashenka ready to provide Belarusian territory for renewed attacks on Ukraine
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that Alyaksandr Lukashenka is prepared to give Vladimir Putin Belarusian territory, logistics and infrastructure for attacks on Ukraine from the northern border, and that hopes of separating the two leaders are futile. She warned that Belarusian infrastructure, including antennas used to direct drones, is already being used by Russia, and that retransmitters are being installed along the border with EU countries as well as Ukraine, meaning provocations could be aimed at Europe. She also said 500–600 Belarusian enterprises produce optics and microchips and procure components in circumvention of sanctions for Russia's military machine.