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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that he asked U.S. President Donald Trump to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to use Beijing’s influence over Moscow to help end Russia’s 4½-year invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he had not yet received details from the White House about Trump’s talks with Xi but expected to learn what was discussed. Zelenskyy visited the United States this week during the U.N. General Assembly and met with Trump on Tuesday as he sought greater international support for Ukraine. NATO countries have described China as a “decisive enabler” of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy shared further details of his U.S. visit in voice messages sent to journalists. US seeks initial technical talksZelenskyy said Washington wants the United States, Ukraine and Russia to begin technical-level talks before any meeting between their leaders. According to him, Ukraine is waiting for Washington to suggest a date for the talks, with U.S. officials proposing the United Arab Emirates as the venue. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Putin and Trump had discussed holding such a meeting during their phone call earlier this month. “I can’t give you any specifics” at this point, Peskov said. Representatives from the three countries held three rounds of talks earlier this year — two in Abu Dhabi and one in Geneva — but failed to make significant progress. Putin, speaking to reporters in St. Petersburg on Friday night, criticized recent Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and on Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. He said proposals to restart negotiations remained on the table, but Moscow would carefully consider its response. Putin stressed that any decision on restarting the talks would be based on Russia’s interests. Zelenskyy calls for tougher sanctionsDuring his U.S. visit, Zelenskyy met with U.S. senators and members of Congress and thanked them for bipartisan support for a major sanctions bill targeting Russia. Trump signed the bill into law last week but has not yet implemented the measures. Zelenskyy said sanctions were important to putting pressure on Putin to return to negotiations and urged Trump to enforce them. “The sanctions are indeed strong,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the measures were now in the hands of the U.S. president. Trump approves Patriot production licensesZelenskyy also said Trump had confirmed a final decision to allow Ukraine to obtain licenses to produce Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine has been seeking more U.S.-made Patriot systems to defend against Russian ballistic missiles, but supplies have been limited since the war in Iran began on Feb. 28. Trump said in July that he would allow Ukraine to produce the systems itself, but later appeared to reconsider the decision. Calls for free Black Sea shippingUkraine and Russia are major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other food products. However, attacks on cargo vessels during the war have disrupted shipping through the Black Sea and raised concerns about food shortages. Zelenskyy said he held separate meetings in the United States with the leaders of India, Turkey, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries that want safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Black Sea. He said those leaders were also expected to hold talks with Russian officials. Kyiv wants Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in the Black Sea so that full commercial deliveries can resume, Zelenskyy said. Ukraine seeks more financial supportZelenskyy said he also discussed Ukraine’s financial needs with the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission. Ukraine’s budget has come under heavy pressure because of wartime spending and falling production, while Russia’s economy has also been affected by the war. According to Zelenskyy, the European Union will extend its financial assistance to Ukraine, while the IMF will continue its support programs. He said most of Ukraine’s current funding gap is linked to weapons purchases. Future support could also involve technology-sharing agreements and joint drone production, he said. Ukraine is a major producer of military drones. Five killed in Ukraine strikesRussian aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight and into Friday killed five people and wounded 11, Ukrainian officials said. Russian authorities, meanwhile, reported that one person was killed and 21 wounded in Ukrainian long-range strikes. Zelenskyy said eight Ukrainian regions came under attack. He said Russian forces continued their round-the-clock attacks on Kyiv, striking an office building where four people were killed. A 14-year-old boy was also killed when a Russian strike hit an apartment building in Kyiv, while at least seven residents were injured, officials said. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces struck a missile-engine depot near Kyiv, among other targets. Zelenskyy said Ukraine also struck two oil refineries as part of its ongoing campaign to damage Russia’s economy. Unconfirmed Russian media reports said Ukrainian drones also hit a Russian military electronics plant and a synthetic rubber producer.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged world leaders Wednesday to increase pressure on Russia by cutting its revenues and limiting its ability to continue the war against Ukraine. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin remains the main obstacle to ending what he called a “ridiculous and never-ending war.” “Our target is Russia's ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia's finances and Russia's production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped.” He argued that when Russia continues to earn money from international trade, it has less incentive to pursue diplomacy. “Russia's revenues must remain a target,” he said. Earlier Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clashed with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and European supporters of Ukraine during a UN Security Council meeting. Lavrov also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the General Assembly to discuss the war. US discusses possible limited ceasefireRubio later told reporters that Russia and Ukraine have shown interest in a limited ceasefire that would stop attacks on grain shipments and energy infrastructure. Both countries are major grain exporters, while their energy facilities have increasingly come under drone and missile attacks. Rubio said reaching even a limited agreement would be difficult but worthwhile. He noted that Zelenskyy has publicly supported such a proposal and said the United States would be willing to help implement it. Russia's Foreign Ministry did not mention a possible partial agreement on grain shipments in its statement following the Lavrov-Rubio meeting. Instead, it repeated Moscow's position that the root causes of what it calls its “special military operation” must be addressed. At the Security Council, Lavrov said Russia would not “pause” its military action, arguing that European countries would use such a pause to supply Ukraine with more weapons. He also did not mention a possible grain or energy agreement. Lavrov described Ukraine's government as “terrorists” and said Russia's military operation was aimed at protecting its security and the rights of Russian speakers. Lavrov is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Saturday. Zelenskyy questions Putin's commitment to peaceZelenskyy said Russia's actions raised doubts about whether Putin genuinely wants to end the fighting. “Something always seems to stop Putin from saying, ‘That's it. Enough. Peace,’” he said. “The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else,” Zelenskyy added. The war has affected countries far beyond Ukraine and Russia, disrupting global supplies of fuel, fertilizer and grain while deepening political divisions between Russia and Western countries. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, initially expecting to capture Kyiv within days. Ukraine resisted the invasion, and the war has continued for more than four years, with front-line positions in eastern and southern Ukraine remaining largely unchanged since last year. Western analysts estimate that more than 500,000 Russian troops have been killed and that Ukraine has suffered more than 500,000 military casualties, including as many as 140,000 deaths. Neither Russia nor Ukraine publishes its own casualty figures. Russia, Ukraine intensify drone attacksRussia and Ukraine have increased their long-range drone and missile attacks in recent months. Russian drones struck Kyiv on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 23 others, according to Ukrainian officials. Two more people were injured in a strike that caused a major fire at a shopping mall in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities, logistics centers and sea vessels overnight. The ministry also said Russian air defenses intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions, Crimea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014. Zelenskyy calls for more pressure on RussiaZelenskyy told the General Assembly that Russia had used about 63,000 attack drones of various types against Ukraine so far this year. He said Ukraine had shown that it could continue defending itself despite facing a much larger military. “Limit his money. Limit his war,” Zelenskyy told world leaders, urging them to prevent Russia from obtaining financial resources and foreign fighters. He also said Ukraine needs to strengthen its military and has successfully tested four new jet-powered interceptor drones against Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia. Zelenskyy highlighted agreements and programmes with several countries involving drones and anti-ballistic missile systems. He also warned about the growing role of artificial intelligence in warfare, saying autonomous weapons could eventually make battlefield decisions without direct human control. “We need peace before we reach that point,” he said. Zelenskyy rejected the idea that Ukraine wants war, saying its focus on weapons, defence and sanctions is a response to Russia's invasion. “Ukrainians did not choose this war,” he said. “We choose not to die. … We are defending ourselves.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday awarded Elon Musk the country's Order of Freedom, one of Ukraine's highest state honors, for his "outstanding personal merits" in protecting human life and freedom and strengthening ties with the United States. Musk, founder of aerospace company SpaceX, has become one of the most influential and controversial private-sector figures in Ukraine's war effort. His decision to provide Ukraine with access to Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, was crucial after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and remains important to the country. Starlink is now deeply integrated into Ukraine's military operations, with troops relying on the satellite network to communicate and coordinate missions. Musk's decisions could also affect Ukraine's future military capabilities. While Starlink is available to Ukrainian forces in their own territory, including Russian-occupied areas, its use inside Russia has been restricted. Zelenskyy wants Musk to reconsider the restriction, saying it would help Ukrainian forces keep satellite links during longer-range drone attacks on Russian military and economic targets. Musk made no immediate comment on the award, which was announced through a presidential decree. Musk restricts Starlink use in Russia Starlink has been incorporated into Ukraine's drone operations, allowing operators to maintain connections with drones and guide them over longer distances. Ukraine's access to the service has been a key factor behind the early success of its medium-range drone campaign, which surprised Russian forces and disrupted their logistics earlier this year. The attacks have increased pressure on Russian supply routes in Crimea and helped give Ukrainian forces some battlefield momentum that they had not seen since their successful counteroffensives around Kherson and Kharkiv in late 2022. Earlier this year, SpaceX blocked unauthorized Starlink terminals used by Russian forces in occupied Ukrainian territory, further strengthening Ukraine's position. Musk's growing influence over Ukraine Musk is both an important partner for Kyiv and a potential source of vulnerability. As Starlink has become a key part of Ukraine's wartime communications, Musk and SpaceX have considerable influence over how the technology can be used. Zelenskyy has sought US assistance in persuading Musk to allow Ukraine to expand its use of Starlink beyond its borders. Zelenskyy said last week that Musk considers such a move a major and dangerous escalation. Musk's influence spills into politics A reported misunderstanding over whether SpaceX had approved Ukraine's use of Starlink for operations inside Russia contributed to tensions between Zelenskyy and then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was the government's main contact with Musk. Fedorov was dismissed in July as part of a wider government reshuffle. Zelenskyy said incorrect information from the Defense Ministry that SpaceX had approved the request contributed to an awkward exchange with US President Donald Trump, who accused the Ukrainian leader of misleading him. Zelenskyy did not say when the incident took place. He said last week that the incident contributed to "some of the steps" taken against Fedorov, without directly accusing him of deliberately giving false information. Fedorov's dismissal also underscored the growing political importance of Musk's role in Ukraine's war effort.  

European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday to mark the country’s Independence Day as Russia’s four-year invasion continues.Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with President Vladimir Putin seeking to bring Kyiv back under Moscow’s influence. Ukraine had overwhelmingly voted for independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The war has shown little major movement along the front line in recent months. Despite more than a year of US-led diplomatic efforts, there has been no clear breakthrough toward ending the conflict. Instead, Russia and Ukraine have stepped up long-range air attacks that have killed civilians and damaged critical infrastructure. European leaders show support for UkraineUK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, making his first foreign trip since taking office last month, joined nearly a dozen European leaders and other senior officials in Kyiv. European Council President Antonio Costa was among those attending the Independence Day events. “For Ukraine, independence is not an abstract idea. We defended it against all odds,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media, stressing the importance of having allies during difficult times. Burnham was scheduled to co-chair a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of countries supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia. The leaders of France and Germany were expected to join the meeting online. The visiting leaders brought promises of additional military and financial support for Ukraine. Burnham was also expected to announce that the UK government had agreed to let defense company MBDA share classified information about British components used in the SCALP long-range missile. The move could help France and Ukraine move forward with plans to produce the missile locally in Ukraine. SCALP is the French version of Britain’s Storm Shadow missile. Both weapons use technology developed jointly by France and Britain. Ukraine has depended heavily on NATO members for military support as it fights Russia’s larger armed forces. Relations with the United States, however, have become more complicated under President Donald Trump. Russia, meanwhile, has received support from North Korea and China. Both sides have increasingly used long-range attacks to damage each other’s economies, disrupt military supplies and weaken public morale. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted Russia’s important oil industry, contributing to fuel shortages. Ukraine has also carried out attacks linked to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries. Three teenagers killed in Russian cityThree teenagers were killed and six children wounded in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar during Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia’s children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova said Monday. The attacks targeted several warehouses operated by Ozon for a third consecutive day, according to Russian officials and the company. Ozon, one of Russia’s biggest online retailers, said a major fire broke out at one of its logistics facilities near Krasnodar following an overnight attack. A drone also struck the grounds of an Ozon logistics center in the southern region of Adygeya, regional Governor Murat Kumpilov said. The company, however, said the warehouse there was not damaged. Overall, four Ozon facilities appeared to have been targeted. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 351 Ukrainian drones overnight across eight Russian regions, as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas of the Azov and Black seas. The ministry also said Russian forces continued overnight attacks on Ukrainian ports and vessels carrying supplies for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Russian forces launched a fresh wave of missile, drone and glide-bomb attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least nine civilians, officials said Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meanwhile warned that Russia is receiving additional military support from North Korea as Moscow continues its more than four-year invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Russian forces used North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine. Local officials said six people were killed and 19 others injured in the attack. Three more people, including a 15-year-old boy, were killed in Russian drone and artillery strikes in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local authorities. Zelenskyy said late Monday that Russia had received more ballistic missiles from North Korea and was preparing to deploy additional North Korean troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership agreement more than two years ago, pledging mutual assistance if either country comes under attack. North Korea has sent thousands of troops and large quantities of weapons to support Russia's war in Ukraine. Analysts say its cooperation with Moscow is also helping strengthen North Korea's military capabilities. Zelenskyy warned that the combat experience gained by North Korean forces in the war could later pose a threat to other countries in the region. Ukraine has also accused Russia of increasing ballistic missile production to take advantage of Kyiv's shortage of Patriot air defence interceptors, which are among the few systems capable of intercepting such missiles. Kyiv also says Moscow is preparing to increase recruitment for a new offensive along the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line stretching across eastern and southern Ukraine. "Every step Russia takes — increasing ballistic missile production, bringing in North Korean equipment, preparing for mobilization — all of this shows that Moscow is preparing not for peace, but for escalation," Zelenskyy said in a social media post. US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war have made little progress, while Washington has become increasingly frustrated with the lack of movement toward a settlement and has shifted attention to the war in Iran. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said the Kremlin is unlikely to engage in serious negotiations or make significant concessions as long as Russian President Vladimir Putin believes his military can still achieve his objectives. The think tank also warned that Ukraine's shortage of Patriot interceptors could allow Russia to inflict serious damage over the coming winter, potentially prolonging the war and delaying meaningful negotiations. Children's hospital hit in Kyiv Russian forces also attacked parts of Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian officials said. One strike hit the grounds of a children's hospital, leaving two craters and breaking windows, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Children and medical staff were sheltering in bomb shelters at the time, and no one was injured. Another Russian strike caused a fire at a warehouse in the capital that spread over about 1,200 square metres, emergency officials said. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted "military industrial facilities and transport and logistics centers" in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia using ground-based precision weapons. It said drone storage facilities in Kyiv and a metallurgical plant in Zaporizhzhia were among the targets. Ukraine's air force said Russia attacked Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv with Zircon anti-ship missiles and Iskander ballistic missiles, while launching 120 long-range drones of various types across Ukraine. Wildberries facilities attacked The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted nearly 400 Ukrainian drones overnight over 14 Russian regions and occupied Crimea. Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, said its logistics facilities in the Voronezh region near the Ukrainian border were attacked and caught fire. The company said the fire had been extinguished and most of the goods stored there were not damaged. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Wildberries warehouses as part of its campaign against Russian economic infrastructure. Kyiv has also carried out strikes on Russian oil facilities, saying the attacks are aimed at pressuring Putin to negotiate an end to the war. Russian independent outlet Astra reported that an oil refinery in Orsk, about 1,300 kilometres from Ukraine's border, was hit and published images showing smoke rising from the facility. There was no official confirmation of an attack on the Orsk refinery, which has been targeted in previous attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s latest deadly attacks on Kyiv as he visited Serbia on Saturday, a European country that has maintained close ties with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine. Four people, including a child, were killed in overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region, while Ukrainian forces attacked Russian oil facilities. Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade on Friday for his first official visit to Serbia. At a joint news conference with Zelenskyy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called Ukraine a “friendly nation” and said he was pleased to host the Ukrainian leader. It was the first visit by a Ukrainian president to Serbia in eight years. The two leaders discussed their countries’ efforts to join the European Union, bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation. Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine regularly come under Russian drone and missile attacks. Ukraine’s air defenses have struggled to cope with the scale of the attacks as its supply of interceptors remains limited. At the same time, Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities have become increasingly frequent, causing fuel shortages and putting pressure on Moscow. Patriot missile supplies slowVucic, who has kept close relations with Moscow and declined to impose sanctions on Russia, said Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and that its position would not change. The stance has drawn pressure from the European Union. “The situation in Ukraine is difficult,” Zelenskyy said. “There was another missile strike last night — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were also attack drones.” He said deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors, the only weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, have slowed compared with last year. “There are fewer of these missiles in 2026,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine received more each month in 2025. Zelenskyy said the US has agreed to allow Ukraine to produce its own Patriot interceptors, but the plan has been delayed by paperwork. “The process for some of these licenses is also taking a long time,” he said. Child killed with grandparentsThe talks in Belgrade came after Russian drones destroyed a family home in Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv, killing a three-year-old child and the child’s grandparents, according to local officials. Three other family members and a neighbour who came to help were injured and taken to hospital. The attack destroyed the house and damaged nearby buildings and vehicles. Zelenskyy said at least one other person was killed in an attack involving six ballistic missiles targeting civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down or intercepted 135 of 151 Russian drones launched overnight. The attack also included six ballistic missiles and other guided missiles. Russia has repeatedly attacked populated areas across Ukraine, although Moscow says its forces target only military facilities. Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said Friday that its air defenses had destroyed or intercepted around 5,300 Russian drones and missiles last month. That was just under 60% of the roughly 9,000 drones and missiles Russia launched during the period. Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged countries, particularly the US, to provide more air defense ammunition. Supplies have become tighter amid the war involving Iran. He has also sought permission to produce Patriot interceptors in Ukraine and called for stronger measures to disrupt Russia’s ability to manufacture ballistic missiles. Following the latest attacks, Zelenskyy appealed on X for additional sanctions aimed at stopping the production of Russian ballistic missiles, as well as more anti-ballistic systems and interceptor missiles. Ukraine targets Russian oil facilitiesIn Russia, six people were injured after a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the southern Krasnodar region. Local officials said debris from a downed drone caused the fire. Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces had struck the refinery in Krasnodar as well as the Syzran Oil Refinery in Russia’s Samara region, more than 800 kilometres from Ukraine. Samara Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed that drones had hit an industrial facility but did not identify it as an oil refinery. Ukraine has carried out near-daily long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian oil facilities using domestically developed weapons. The strikes have disrupted Russia’s fuel supply and created shortages, putting further pressure on the Kremlin.

Ukraine has struck two oil refineries in Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday. In a social media post, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s Defence Forces targeted the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl and the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Russia’s Bashkortostan region. Earlier, reports said thick black smoke was seen rising from the area of the Yaroslavl refinery following Ukrainian drone attacks. Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Evraev said Ukrainian drones targeting the region had been destroyed, but falling debris set three houses on fire. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces attacked two Russian military patrol boats and vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea. Source: BBC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked US President Donald Trump to help secure approval from billionaire Elon Musk to allow Ukraine to use the Starlink satellite network for targeting military strikes inside Russia, according to people familiar with the discussions. The request came during Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump at the White House this week and was also raised in talks with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill. However, Trump did not commit to supporting the proposal, the sources said. Ukraine currently uses Starlink for communications within its own territory, including Russian-occupied areas. But Musk has not allowed the satellite system to be used for operations inside Russia. Zelenskyy has been pressing US officials for several weeks to expand Starlink's use, arguing that it would improve the accuracy of Ukraine's long-range and medium-range strikes. His request comes as Ukraine looks for alternatives to reduce its reliance on US-made Patriot air defence systems, which have become harder to obtain amid the ongoing US and Israeli military campaign against Iran. The White House, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington and SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not immediately comment on the matter. Allowing Starlink to be used inside Russia could also pose risks for Musk. Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that intelligence agencies from two NATO countries believed Russia was developing an anti-satellite weapon that could target the Starlink network. The report could not be independently verified. Starlink has played a key role in supporting Ukraine's communications since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. During his visit to Washington, Zelenskyy also urged US lawmakers to continue supporting Ukraine with more Patriot systems and to move forward with a proposed agreement that would allow Ukraine to produce the air defence system under licence. Republican Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Zelenskyy stressed that wider access to Starlink would make Ukraine's longer-range weapons more accurate. "He made it clear they need Starlink for greater precision," Rounds said. Zelenskyy met lawmakers before the Senate voted to advance a new package of sanctions against Russia, with a final vote expected next week. Meanwhile, Trump appeared to step back from an earlier statement suggesting Ukraine would receive a licence to manufacture Patriot systems. Speaking to reporters at Camp David on Friday, Trump said the issue was still under discussion. "We're talking about it. But it's a hard thing to give away that kind of technology," he said. Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have improved in recent months as Ukraine has gained ground on the battlefield. Zelenskyy has also argued that the war in Ukraine is linked to tensions involving Iran. He plans to share intelligence with the United States that he says shows Russia is helping Iran use satellite surveillance to target US military bases in the Middle East. He also told US lawmakers that Ukraine is ready to share its expertise in drone warfare with the United States, highlighting its experience in countering Russian attacks.

A Russian ballistic missile strike near Kyiv on Friday killed at least 10 people and injured nearly 100 others after hitting a site hosting a defence industry event, Ukrainian officials said. The attack came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Kyiv with senior representatives of US defence company Raytheon, which manufactures Patriot air defence systems that Ukraine says are essential to counter Russia's ballistic missile attacks. Raytheon did not immediately comment on whether any of its employees were present at the event. "Missiles for Patriot systems are the number one priority," Zelenskyy wrote on social media while confirming the attack. According to acting regional military administration head Ruslan Oliinyk, the missile struck the grounds of a privately operated military training facility in Bucha district, about 20 to 30 kilometres from central Kyiv. The site was hosting a defence-related gathering when it was hit. Emergency teams rushed to the scene, where 27 houses and 44 vehicles were also damaged, officials said. The Ukrainian Defence Industry Council, the country's largest association of private defence manufacturers, confirmed that industry representatives were attending the event, but did not disclose further details. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said authorities had launched a war crimes investigation into the Russian strike, along with a separate probe into possible negligence over the organisation of the event. Investigators will examine who approved the venue, timing and format of the gathering and whether sufficient safety measures had been taken. The Ukrainian government later imposed restrictions on reporting details of the attack. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said a separate strike on a military facility in Russia killed six people and injured 26 others, according to the regional governor. Zelenskyy pushes for Patriot co-productionThe meeting between Zelenskyy and Raytheon representatives took place less than three weeks after US President Donald Trump pledged to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot systems under licence. Zelenskyy said the company was ready to work with Ukraine on the joint production of Patriot interceptor missiles, adding that government officials and private-sector representatives would continue discussions on the project. Ukraine has repeatedly urged its Western allies to provide more Patriot systems, which are considered one of the few effective defences against Russian ballistic missiles. While Ukraine has developed its own air defence technologies, officials say expanding domestic production remains critical, though experts caution that establishing local manufacturing could take years. The meeting also reflected improving ties between Kyiv and Washington. Laura Loomer, a prominent Trump ally, also visited Kyiv on Thursday and criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin over missile attacks on Ukraine. Ukraine expands drone strikes inside RussiaUkraine has continued stepping up long-range drone attacks inside Russia, targeting military and logistical infrastructure as it seeks to disrupt Moscow's war effort. On Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had struck an oil facility about 1,350 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, along with a military plant in Russia's Kirov region that produces aircraft and missile components. Regional Governor Alexander Sokolov said six people were killed and 26 injured in the attack on the military facility. Russian outlet Astra identified the site as the Avitec plant, which manufactures air defence missiles and aircraft components. Ukraine also targeted several logistics centres belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer. Company founder Tatyana Kim said warehouses in St. Petersburg, the neighbouring Leningrad region and Simferopol in Russian-annexed Crimea came under attack. Russian media published images showing thick smoke rising over St. Petersburg. Ukrainian forces had struck four other Wildberries facilities earlier this week, causing major fires. Kyiv says its campaign aims to disrupt Russia's military logistics and bring the impact of the war closer to ordinary Russians. Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defence systems shot down 571 Ukrainian drones overnight.

A Ukrainian attack on Russian-occupied Crimea killed one person and injured two others early Sunday, according to Moscow-installed officials, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held separate phone calls with US President Donald Trump on efforts to end the war. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russia-appointed governor of Crimea, said the attack struck the northern part of the peninsula. One of the injured was reported to be in serious condition. He did not provide further details. In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified long-range strikes on military and infrastructure targets in Crimea as part of its efforts to isolate the strategically important peninsula, which Russia seized and illegally annexed in 2014. Western officials and analysts say Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep inside Russian-controlled territory has increased pressure on the Kremlin, while Russia's battlefield advances have slowed in recent months. The latest attack came shortly after Zelenskyy and Putin held separate telephone conversations with Trump. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of US independence and discussed the situation on the battlefield. "There is a real prospect of ending this war, and America's determination will be crucial," Zelenskyy wrote, adding that the two leaders agreed to continue discussions in person during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara. Meanwhile, the Kremlin described Putin's nearly 90-minute phone conversation with Trump on Saturday as "constructive." Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin also congratulated Trump and the American people on the 250th anniversary of US independence. The call was the fourth conversation between the two leaders this year. According to Ushakov, Trump reaffirmed his willingness to help bring about a quick end to the fighting and support efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. He said Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue mediation efforts and remain ready to visit Moscow. Ushakov said Putin again stressed that Russia prefers a diplomatic solution, provided its long-standing demands are taken into account. At the same time, Putin accused Ukraine and its European allies of trying to prolong and escalate the conflict, claiming they have misjudged the situation on the battlefield. He also told Trump that Russian forces continue to make gains, capturing one settlement after another. Putin specifically claimed that Russian troops had captured the Ukrainian stronghold of Kostyantynivka, describing it as an important step toward taking full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ukraine has rejected Russia's claim that Kostyantynivka has fallen.