Zelensky Seeks Global Support at UN as Russia-Ukraine War Intensifies

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed world leaders for more support on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday as fighting intensified across Ukraine. Moscow said it had shot down about three dozen Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital, while Kyiv reported civilian deaths from Russian missiles, drones and bombs. Zelenskyy and his team continued outreach, including a late-night meeting in New York with Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s special envoy, to discuss manufacturing of drones and the purchase of U.S. weaponry.

With the General Assembly gathering set to scrutinize crises beyond Ukraine, European leaders voiced backing for Zelenskyy’s diplomacy even as concerns linger about the Israel-Hamas war overshadowing the session. NATO allies were to hold formal consultations at Estonia’s request after three Russian fighter jets briefly entered its airspace last week.

Humanitarian concerns mounted as casualties grew. The United Nations Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported a 40% increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties in the first eight months of this year compared with the same period in 2024, as Russia stepped up long-range missile and local drone strikes. Separately, a U.N. Human Rights Office report described thousands of civilians detained by Russia in areas it has captured, noting torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, in a widespread and systematic pattern.

Ukraine’s air force said that Russia fired long-range missiles and drones overnight, with five glide bombs dropped on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, killing a man. In the Odesa region, missiles struck the town center of Tatarbunary, killing a woman. In total, Ukraine said Russia launched three Iskander ballistic missiles and 115 strike and decoy drones overnight, with 103 drones intercepted or jammed and 12 drones and three missiles reaching targets at six locations. Moscow said it intercepted 69 Ukrainian drones over various regions and the Crimean Peninsula. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 40 Ukrainian drones were shot down toward the capital between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, forcing temporary flight restrictions at Sheremetyevo airport.

Officials cautioned that the fighting has strained Ukraine’s forces, with Zelenskyy urging sustained Western support as the conflict enters its third year. Since the full invasion began on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has faced a heavy toll on civilians, infrastructure and the economy, even as Western partners pledge more military aid. Zelenskyy’s outreach at the United Nations comes as European leaders seek to balance support with regional tensions and concerns about the war’s broader regional impact, including the possibility of escalation beyond Ukraine.

Analysts say the United Nations General Assembly gathering will test how far foreign governments are willing to go to sustain funding, arms supplies and political backing for Kyiv. The war’s trajectory remains uncertain, and Moscow has repeatedly signaled willingness to escalate in response to perceived Western pressures.