Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, a high-stakes diplomatic encounter that comes as Russia intensifies its military campaign against Ukraine. The announcement, made on September 21, 2025, arrives amid some of the heaviest aerial attacks Ukraine has faced since the war began.
According to AFP, Russia unleashed one of its largest overnight barrages, launching 40 missiles and approximately 580 drones across Ukraine. The assault killed at least three people and wounded dozens more, with the central city of Dnipro suffering a particularly devastating blow when a missile with cluster munitions struck an apartment building. Zelensky, sharing images of the destruction on social media, described scenes of burning cars and buildings, and rescuers working feverishly to pull survivors from the rubble.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, regional governor Sergiy Lysak reported that one person was killed and at least 30 wounded, with one man in critical condition. The attack on Dnipro is only the latest in a series of escalations that have seen Russian forces steadily chipping away at Ukrainian territory, despite fierce resistance from Kyiv’s defenders.
But Ukraine has not remained passive. In a rare and deadly retaliatory strike, Ukrainian forces targeted strategic sites within Russia’s southwestern Samara region. Local governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed that four people were killed in what he called an “enemy drone attack” that hit fuel and energy facilities. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that their forces struck the Saratov Oil Refinery and the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery, resulting in explosions and fires at the sites. The Russian defense ministry claimed its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 149 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 27 over Saratov and 15 over Samara, but the damage inflicted was nonetheless significant.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the conflict continues to evolve rapidly. Russia announced the capture of the village of Berezove in the Dnipropetrovsk region, marking another gain in its slow but persistent territorial advance. In the northeastern Kharkiv region, “intense actions” were ongoing around the strategic rail hub of Kupiansk, which Ukraine had recaptured during its 2022 counteroffensive. Zelensky referred to this fighting as particularly fierce, emphasizing the continued volatility along the front lines.
The air war is not limited to Ukrainian skies. Tensions rose further when three Russian fighter jets reportedly violated Estonian airspace, a claim Moscow denied. Still, the incident, coming on the heels of Poland’s complaint that around 20 Russian drones had overflown its territory, has stoked fears in NATO countries of potential escalation and spillover beyond Ukraine’s borders. Zelensky, echoing Western concerns, renewed his call for “joint solutions” to shoot down drones over Ukraine “together with other countries.”
All of this forms the backdrop for Zelensky’s upcoming meeting with President Trump. The Ukrainian leader has made it clear that security guarantees from the West and stronger sanctions on Russia will top the agenda. “We expect sanctions if there is no meeting between the leaders or, for example, no ceasefire,” Zelensky said in comments released by the Ukrainian presidency. He added, “We are ready for a meeting with Putin. I have spoken about this. Both bilateral and trilateral. He is not ready.”
Ukraine’s insistence on Western-backed security guarantees is rooted in a desire to prevent future Russian aggression. The government in Kyiv has also called for European peacekeeping troops to be deployed in Ukraine, a proposal that Moscow has flatly rejected. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any Western troops on Ukrainian soil would be considered unacceptable and legitimate targets. This hardline stance from Moscow has effectively ruled out direct negotiations between Putin and Zelensky for the time being, despite Kyiv’s assertion that such talks are the only path toward a lasting peace.
Efforts to broker an end to the conflict have so far yielded little. Three rounds of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul produced nothing beyond large-scale prisoner exchanges. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede control of the eastern Donbas region, parts of which remain under Russian occupation. Kyiv, for its part, has rejected any territorial concessions, maintaining that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
While the diplomatic stalemate drags on, the war’s toll mounts on both sides. The latest Russian aerial assault, with its deadly mix of missiles and drones, underscores the scale of the threat Ukraine faces daily. Yet the Ukrainian strike in Samara—one of the deadliest since Russia launched its invasion in 2022—shows that Kyiv retains the capacity to hit back, even deep inside Russian territory.
International observers are watching closely as the conflict threatens to spill over into neighboring countries. The recent airspace violations in Estonia and Poland have raised alarms in NATO capitals, prompting renewed discussions about the alliance’s role and responsibilities in the region. The risk of a wider confrontation looms, especially as both Russia and Ukraine seek to leverage support from external allies.
On the diplomatic front, the upcoming meeting between Zelensky and Trump is being closely scrutinized for any sign of a breakthrough. The U.S. has played a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine, both militarily and economically, but the path forward remains uncertain. With Russia showing no sign of relenting and Ukraine standing firm on its demands, the prospects for a negotiated settlement appear dim, at least for now.
The stakes are high—not just for Ukraine and Russia, but for the broader international order. As the war grinds on, the choices made by leaders in Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow will shape the future of Europe’s security landscape for years to come. For now, all eyes are on New York, where Zelensky and Trump will meet against the backdrop of a conflict that shows no sign of abating.
In the shadow of relentless attacks and diplomatic deadlock, Ukraine’s future hangs in the balance, its people enduring yet another week of violence, uncertainty, and hope for a path toward peace.