Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said officials from his country would meet a US team in New York in late September as part of Washington's efforts to revive talks aimed at ending the war. The announcement came as Canada pledged to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses and help replenish Kyiv's drone stockpile.
Zelenskyy expects US talks in New York
Speaking at a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary, Zelenskyy said he hoped for a more open discussion after his expected meeting with US President Donald Trump this month, likely on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Ukrainian president ruled out the possibility of three-way talks before the Russian parliamentary elections scheduled for the 20th of this month. Trump had said that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to reach a deal to end the war, adding that Zelenskyy's agreement to a deal would be a good thing.
Canada commits to a long-term security and economic partnership with Kyiv
Putin had previously received envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, before they traveled to Kyiv and met Zelenskyy in a visit described as unprecedented. As part of Canada's support, Carney and Zelenskyy signed a declaration committing the two countries to negotiate a 100-year security and economic partnership over the coming months. The agreement aims to establish a formal framework for cooperation in areas including defense, energy and strategic minerals.
He said his country was working to increase its drone stockpile and that 30% of new Canadian production would be directed to Ukraine. On the ground, Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on the industrial city of Pavlohrad in southeastern Ukraine on Thursday, killing 7 people and injuring 76, including children.
Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said the attack targeted 5 areas using drones, artillery and aerial bombs. Other Russian strikes hit a gas station in Kyiv and an international agribusiness facility in Dnipro, injuring 5 people. Ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones also targeted warehouses, food suppliers and retail chains, as Kyiv faces shortages of air-defense systems.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had struck a cargo ship in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, claiming that the vessel had been used to transport a military shipment. The developments came amid an escalation in long-range strikes targeting factories, warehouses, energy facilities, ports and ships.
