Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said he will be meeting the US president Donald Trump on Friday, when the two will discuss long-range missile capabilities to pressure Russia.
Announcing the departure of the Ukrainian delegation, Zelensky said: “I will also have the opportunity to come to Washington and meet with president Trump on Friday. I believe we will discuss a series of steps that I intend to propose. I am grateful to president Trump for our dialogue and his support.”
“…the main focus of the visit is air defence and our long-range capabilities aimed at exerting pressure on Russia for the sake of peace,” he said in a post on X.
Zelensky has been lobbying with Washington to supply the US-produced missiles, which could help Kyiv strike deep inside Russia – including Moscow –which Ukrainians say would be used only on military targets.
US-made Tomahawks, which have a range of 2,500km (1,550 miles) and could therefore strike anywhere within European Russia, will likely be a part of the discussion as Zelensky said he had given Trump an idea of how many of the coveted Tomahawks Ukraine needs.
Nearly 30,000 without power in Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kharkiv
Around 30,000 people across three districts are without power after Russian forces attacked Kharkiv with guided bombs, local officials said.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces used guided bombs to attack Nemyshlianskyi and Slobidskyi districts in the southeast and Shevchenkivskyi district in the north of the city.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov, interviewed on local television, said the three bombs damaged a hospital and hit power transmission lines. Nearly 30,000 customers had been hit by power cuts.
He said four people had been injured, most by flying glass, with some patients being transferred to different wards.
“Unfortunately, the hospital was quite badly damaged and there were patients inside. Four people were injured to various degrees and about 200 windows were smashed,” Terekhov said.
“Attacks are generally on energy targets – generation transmission, the power network. The aim is to have the power transmission network stop working,” he said.
Trump says Turkey’s Erdogan could help end Russia-Ukraine conflict
US president Donald Trump reiterated his belief that Turkish president Rcep Tayyip Erdogan could play a pivotal role in ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“He’s respected by Russia. Ukraine – I can’t tell you about. But he is respected by (Vladimir) Putin, and he’s a friend of mine,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
On being asked if Erdogan particularly could help in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Trump said: “Yeah, Erdogan can”.
Zelensky says he will discuss long-range missiles with Trump to put pressure on Putin
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said he will be meeting the US president Donald Trump on Friday, when the two will discuss long-range missile capabilities to pressure Russia.
Announcing the departure of the Ukrainian delegation, Zelensky said: “I will also have the opportunity to come to Washington and meet with president Trump on Friday. I believe we will discuss a series of steps that I intend to propose. I am grateful to president Trump for our dialogue and his support.”
He said the long-range missile capabilities will be discussed to exert pressure on Moscow “for the sake of peace”.
“I will also meet with energy companies. This is necessary – it was President Trump’s proposal – and I will meet with these companies because there are pressing needs linked to various formats of attacks, not even the attacks that Russia has already carried out. In any case, we must be prepared. So, it will be helpful. Therefore, the main focus of the visit is air defence and our long-range capabilities aimed at exerting pressure on Russia for the sake of peace,” he said.
Former Russian president responds to Trump’s Tomahawk threat
“Yeah, I might tell him (Putin), if the war is not settled, we may very well do it,” Trump said.
“We may not, but we may do it… do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.”
Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Trump on social media, said it is impossible to distinguish between Tomahawk missiles carrying nuclear warheads and conventional ones after they are launched – a point that president Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson has also made.
Europe ready to further support Ukraine, says ex-Estonian PM
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said Europe is ready to further support Ukraine amid intensifying attacks from Russia.
The former Estonian prime minister met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, later stating that “new measures are in the works”.
Russia and China posing ‘significant threat’ to UK cyberspace, NCSC warns
The “significant threat” posed by Chinese and Russian hackers has contributed to a record number of serious online attacks, the UK’s cyber security agency has warned.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of the GCHQ intelligence agency, recorded a 50% increase in “highly significant” incidents in the year to the end of August.
The attacks on household names including Marks and Spencer, Co-op and Jaguar Land Rover have shown the real world impact of cyberattacks, the NCSC said.
Nearly 30,000 without power after Russian attack
Russia attacked Kharkiv with guided bombs on Monday, shutting off power to nearly 30,000 customers across three districts, according to Reuters.
The mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, said four people were injured as three guided bombs damaged a hospital and struck a power transmission line.
He said: “Unfortunately, the hospital was quite badly damaged and there were patients inside. Four people were injured to various degrees and about 200 windows were smashed.
“Attacks are generally on energy targets – generation transmission, the power network. The aim is to have the power transmission network stop working.”
Russian forces take control of two villages in eastern Ukraine
Russia’s defence ministry announced earlier on Monday that its forces have taken control of two villages in eastern Ukraine. According to a statement posted on the ministry’s Telegram channel, troops captured Borivska Andriyivka in the Kharkiv region.
The ministry also reported the seizure of Kulykivske in the neighbouring Donetsk region.
‘Landmark drone deal’ aims to maintain US engagement with Ukraine
Ukraine and the US are reportedly closing in on a landmark drone deal in which Ukraine would share drone technology with the United States.
European diplomats see such a deal as an important tool for keeping the US president engaged and supportive of Ukraine.
Zelensky urges allies to move faster on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky has urged European countries to act faster on making use of frozen Russian assets to benefit Ukraine.
In a statement last week, the UK, France and Germany said the joint action would “increase pressure” on Vladimir Putin and “bring Russia to the negotiation table”.
