Zelenskyy to Meet Trump Amid NATO Airspace Breaches

At the U.N. General Assembly this week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is leading an intense diplomatic push, lining up nearly 20 bilateral meetings and pressing leaders—notably President Donald Trump—for tougher sanctions, explicit security guarantees, and concrete steps to end Russia’s war. Trump will meet Zelensky on the sidelines and is expected to offer a skeptical view of the U.N. while pledging to defend NATO after recent Russian missile and drone incursions that breached NATO airspace, though U.S. willingness to press Putin remains uncertain. Allies and figures including former Bank of England governor Mark Carney and Canadian leaders spotlighted the plight of nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children allegedly abducted by Russia and sought global backing for their return. Observers warned that global instability—from Gaza to Sudan—and shifts in Western policy since Trump’s re-election have increased pressure on Ukraine and weakened its defenses. As Russia continues attacks on Ukraine, Zelenskyy urged Western allies to “stop wasting time” and said further sanctions are expected if Putin refuses talks or a ceasefire. Kyiv has also imposed sanctions on pro‑Russian figures in neighboring Moldova ahead of its elections.