Ukraine War: Energy Truce Push Amid Escalating Strikes

The article reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to support an energy truce with Russia during their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump said Russia had “unfortunately lost control” of its diesel oil industry after Ukrainian drone attacks damaged or destroyed multiple Russian oil refineries. He argued that the attacks, combined with disruptions linked to the wars in Ukraine and Iran, were contributing to global fuel-supply problems and record U.S. diesel prices. U.S. retail diesel prices have risen above $6.50 per gallon for the first time, according to AAA. Supplies have also been affected by restrictions in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Trump has repeatedly urged Zelenskyy to stop attacking Russian oil infrastructure, saying the strikes are “hurting the world.” The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting is expected to address additional U.S. air-defense support for Ukraine ahead of winter, Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, and efforts to end the more than four-and-a-half-year war. Zelenskyy said Kyiv was discussing “strong de-escalation steps” with Washington, but insisted that Russia must stop targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, critical sites and food exports before Ukraine agrees to matching measures. The article also notes that Russia has threatened “massive strikes” against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, raising fears of another winter campaign against the country’s power system. Ukraine maintains that Russian energy facilities are legitimate military targets. Meanwhile, Ukraine carried out what was described as its largest drone attack on the Moscow region, damaging an oil-refinery facility and killing three people. The attack occurred as Russia’s tightly controlled State Duma election concluded, with President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party winning a record number of seats, according to official results.

Russian and Ukrainian forces launched overnight attacks on infrastructure as the war was set to feature prominently at the United Nations General Assembly. Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes killed four people and injured six in the city of Dnipro, in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said the attacks also damaged a local business and a warehouse, and disrupted electricity for thousands. The barrage targeted Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Pavlohrad and included anti-ship and ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles and 212 drones. Dnipropetrovsk is an important industrial region, with steel-making and machine-building among its major industries. Ukraine also launched drone attacks inside Russia. Local authorities said the strikes killed one person and injured four in the Samara region, which contains important facilities including oil refineries. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted 297 drones over various Russian regions. Samara lies about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Moscow. The article describes a recent increase in attacks by both sides, with the war having continued for four and a half years and no end in sight. Both governments deny targeting civilians and accuse the other of causing civilian casualties. The strikes came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy planned to meet US President Donald Trump in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not expected to attend. The article presents the attacks and diplomatic meetings as unfolding in parallel, without suggesting that the UN gathering had produced a change in the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv and Washington want Russia’s war against Ukraine to end “before winter,” after meeting US President Donald Trump in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Zelenskyy described the meeting as positive and productive, and said the leaders discussed possible de-escalatory steps that could create a path to diplomacy. They also discussed a winter air-defence package for Ukraine and other bilateral and multilateral matters. The article places the call for an end to the war against the backdrop of sustained Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and regions since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. It notes that Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during winter, while Ukraine has carried out deep strikes against Russian energy facilities, including refineries, terminals and depots, aiming to weaken an important part of Russia’s economy and war effort. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had hit oil refineries in Bashkortostan and the Samara region within the previous 24 hours. Trump described the Ukrainian strikes as a serious blow to Russia, while also saying they had affected diesel prices. In a post on Truth Social, he claimed that many Russian diesel refineries had been put temporarily out of commission and said that thousands of people, mostly soldiers, were being killed each month. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was willing to stop attacking Russia’s energy sector if Moscow also halted attacks. He called for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure and food exports to cease being targets, saying that would enable corresponding de-escalation steps. The article reports the leaders’ statements and the competing energy strikes but does not indicate that Russia has accepted Zelenskyy’s proposed arrangement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is willing to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure if Russia also agrees to halt strikes on Ukraine’s energy system. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2026, he said Kyiv was open to “any kind of format” for an energy ceasefire. Zelensky said he did not know Moscow’s position, but hoped the United States could find a way to bring Russia into negotiations. He also said Ukraine and Washington wanted the war to end before winter. Efforts led by the United States to broker an end to the fighting have stalled in recent months. The article attributes this, in part, to Washington shifting its focus to its war against Iran. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine have continued intensifying long-range attacks, targeting an expanding range of sites, including factories, warehouses, energy and port infrastructure, and ships in the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump met Zelensky in New York on Tuesday. Trump had said the previous week that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target one another’s energy facilities, after criticizing Kyiv for striking Russian oil refineries. Zelensky described his meeting with Trump as “positive and productive” and wrote on X that both countries wanted to end what he called the “senseless Russian war” before winter. The report presents an offer for reciprocal restraint alongside uncertainty about Russia’s position and stalled diplomatic efforts.

Russian ballistic missiles struck the southern Ukrainian industrial cities of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Pavlohrad overnight, according to the report. Oleksandr Hanzha, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said the attacks killed at least four people and wounded six. All reported casualties were in Dnipro, where an industrial facility was hit. People were still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble, raising the possibility that the casualty toll could change. Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed that it had attacked Ukrainian industries involving metals, chemicals, energy and arms. The ministry said the operation used cruise missiles and combat drones in addition to missiles. The report does not provide further information about damage to the facilities or independent verification of the Russian ministry’s account. The article’s subtitle also notes a warning from Ukraine about mass starvation in the frontline town of Oleshky. However, the article text supplied gives no details about the warning, its source or the conditions there. The report is brief and focuses primarily on the overnight strikes, the casualties and the weapons and industrial sectors identified by Russia. It presents statements attributed to Ukrainian regional authorities and Russia’s Defence Ministry without offering broader context about the course of the war or the military significance of the targets.