Zelensky urges world leaders to keep choking off Russia's revenues and warns against AI in war

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has urged world leaders to keep choking off Russia's revenues and impede its war efforts, telling the UN General Assembly in New York that "Russia's revenues must remain a target".

He also warned against the use of AI in war and warned: "The longer Putin can wage war, the more evil he will leave behind".

Meanwhile Russian president Vladimir Putin will be invited by the US to the G20 Summit in Miami this December, secretary of state Marco Rubio says.

"We think it's an opportunity for (him) to engage not just with the president (Trump) but with other world leaders. We hope that's an invitation he'll accept," Rubio told the media.

The president met US president Donald Trump on Tuesday and said they had also discussed a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire on energy-related targets.

The Kremlin has not publicly backed the proposals, but Rubio said both sides had expressed interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy. Moscow said, however, that there were no grounds for wider peace talks yet.

The latest: Kremlin hits back at Burnham over 'disinformation' comments

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that British prime minister Andy Burnham was unwise to stir up what they called anti-Russian sentiment, while pouring cold water on hopes of imminent peace talks with Ukraine.

Burnham told the United Nations on Tuesday that London would set up a new National Centre for Information Defence and singled out Moscow for particular criticism when it came to spreading what he called disinformation.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Britain of "stoking anti-Russian sentiment and fostering an atmosphere of total Russophobia", likely in conjunction with France, Germany and other unnamed European states.

"From our point of view, this is an utterly short-sighted policy," he said. "It in no way brings us any closer to any steps that might, in the long term, lead to a reduction in tensions and de-escalation on the European continent."

Speaking ahead of a planned meeting in New York between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Peskov signalled that there were still no plans for high-level talks with either Washington or Kyiv to discuss a potential peace deal.

"Zelensky, if he wishes, may come to Moscow. The necessary security guarantees will be provided to him," he said, as Putin launched another wave of drone attacks on Kyiv, killing two and injuring at least 22.

James Reynolds23 September 2026 22:25

Drone attacks on Kyiv kill two people and wound 41

Russia hammered Kyiv with drones in daylight attacks on Wednesday hours before Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Two people were killed and 41 wounded in Ukraine's capital as the attack stretched into Wednesday afternoon.

Palls of black smoke floated above the city following the latest in what have been daily Russian attacks that torment Ukrainian civilians.

The drones set off fires and damaged buildings in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine overnight, authorities said.

"The Russians launch jet-powered Shaheds every hour, every hour against our cities, our economy, our infrastructure, our combat aircraft are fighting them 24/7," Mr Zelensky told the General Assembly.

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 21:21

'The longer Putin can wage war, the more evil he will leave behind'

The longer Vladimir Putin can wage war, the more evil he will leave behind, President Zelensky has warned world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Dubbing Russia's leader ‘Patient Zero’ - "the man from whom this war began" - Mr Zelensky said the Kremlin leader was turning the war into the largest war in Europe since World War Two.

"But the longer Putin is able to wage war, the more evil he will leave behind in this war," he said.

"Today, nothing in war works the same way it did, by the way, in 2022.

"Except the courage of people, everything has changed, and who knows whether courage will still work the same way in the future."

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 20:18

Diplomacy and strength needed, says Zelensky

Ukraine is building its security so that it can help other countries get the same protection, President Zelensky said.

"Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very harsh for us. But in response, we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too," he said.

If Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy system and heating, steps are needed before winter, he said.

"Now we need diplomacy and we need strength."

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 20:15

Watch: 'We choose not to die or lose our freedom'

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 20:01

'Russia creates threat every hour to make life harder and stop children from studying'

Moscow is using tens of thousands of missiles and drones against Ukraine, Mr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly.

"Russia has already used more than 2,100 missiles of different types again against us, against Ukraine, our people, and our children," he said.

"More than 950 of them were ballistic missiles. In eight months of this year, Russia used 63,000 attack drones of different types against Ukraine, our people, and more than 7,700 of them were jet-powered shaheds, truly destructive and very dangerous battles.

"Just think about it. The Russians launch jet-powered shaheds every hour, every hour against our cities, our economy, our infrastructure.

"Our combat aircraft are fighting them 24/7, and this is part of Russia's strategy to create a new threat every hour, to make life harder for the economy, and to disrupt people's lives and to stop children from being able to study just to study at school.

"Would your country survive if, God forbid, you had to face some something like this Ukraine has?"

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 19:44

Russia tricks citizens of 47 countries into fighting, Zelensky warns

Russia tricks citizens of 47 countries into fighting Ukraine, President Zelensky has told world leaders.

"We have had more than just North Korea POWs. We know that," he said.

People from Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa and many others were being recruited to fight, he said.

"And from time to time we receive requests to send to send particular POWs back cold, and through their videos from our drones, we also see people dying on the battlefield, who are not Russians, people from your countries, 47 countries, who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks.

"So I want to speak directly to every representative of these 47 countries.

"You know what Russia is doing with your people, your your citizens, take care of them, and do not let them end up on another front.

"Do not let Putin drag you into this war."

Do not let Russia cover up its shame or "pay for his madness with the lives of your people", President Zelensky said.

"Limit his room to act. Limit his money. Limit his war. And please, everyone here, do not be the last to join those who defend life. Be the first to say we guarantee security."

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 19:34

Watch: Ukrainian president reminds world leaders not to loosen sanctions on oligarchs

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 19:28

Keep choking off trade with Russia, Zelensky urges world leaders

President Zelensky has urged world leaders to keep choking off Russia's revenues and impede its war efforts, telling the UN General Assembly that "Russia's revenues must remain a target".

"When someone gives Russia more money through trade, they give this war more time. And that is exactly why we insist on limiting trade with the aggressor, and why we are burning Russia's revenues ourselves," he said.

Russia gets its turn Saturday to address the assembly. President Vladimir Putin hasn't traveled to the gathering in years, sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov instead.

"Something always seems to stop Putin from saying, 'That's it. Enough, Peace,'" Mr Zelensky said.

"Can you even imagine him without war? He is 'Patient Zero', the one from whom war keeps spreading further. ... 'Patient Zero' must be stopped."

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 19:23

Zelensky warns against use of AI in war

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned world leaders against the use of AI in war.

In a speech at the UN General Assembly, he said: "We need to slow it down before we reach the next stage, because as early as next year, there is already a real possibility that AI, not only people, will begin will begin decide what happens on the battlefield, and we need peace before we reach that point."

He added: "If you listen to some of the biggest believers in the development of AI, they say today AI still remains mostly digital. But one day AI will move from the digital world to shaping atoms.

"And when that happens, we had better be at peace. We certainly need to end the wars that already exist. Ukraine deserves security, just as all of you do, every country and every nation. "

Jane Dalton23 September 2026 19:21