UN, Zelensky: ‘Putin is patient zero; we must stop him from spreading the virus.’ Meanwhile, a Russian air strike hits his party’s headquarters in Kyiv

According to Rubio’s comments following his meeting with Lavrov, Moscow and Kyiv would be willing to consider a ‘wheat and energy truce’. Global wheat prices have soared due to attacks on ships and port infrastructure, which have effectively blocked shipments of goods from the Black Sea region since July.

However, as far as peace is concerned, ‘at present, the conditions for starting negotiations are not in place. Whilst we remain open to talks”, says the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov. According to Lavrov, in fact, ‘Russia, as President Putin has repeatedly confirmed, is ready to negotiate to achieve precisely this kind of sustainable and just peace’, but ‘having learnt from bitter experience, we will not suspend the special military operation for the duration of the negotiations, whatever form they may take’

The Russian Foreign Minister also added that Europe is calling for a suspension of hostilities with a single aim: ‘to buy time and replenish the Kiev regime’s now depleted military arsenals’.

And the Kremlin has stated: “The militarisation of Ukraine is indeed continuing. European states are seeking to raise ever more funds for the purchase of weapons. The regime in Kyiv is continuing its terrorist-style activities,” he says, commenting on the US President’s call for a truce. Nevertheless, he confirms, “President Putin is ready to meet Trump, but neither the details nor the timing are yet available”.

In an interview with CNN, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani warned of the “risk that the Russians may attempt cyber warfare to strengthen the position of their allies in Europe during the elections. “There are parties that defend Russia, and Moscow is trying to influence the vote to a certain extent; this is evident.”

“Every day,” warns Tajani, “thousands of cyberattacks take place. That is why we are taking defensive measures. My ministry has set up a Directorate-General for Security, and we are working hard to protect all our embassies around the world from Russian attacks.”

On the Ukrainian issue, the minister stated: ‘The prospect of peace depends above all on Russia, which does not seem willing to come to the negotiating table. Italia will continue to exert pressure through sanctions and to support Kyiv, including militarily. Rome is working on the thirteenth aid package, on which Defence Minister Guido Crosetto will have to brief the Copasir, and is preparing new supplies of energy equipment, starting with generators, ahead of the winter. We stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary.”

Then there is the statement by the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who, during his address at the summit of the International Crimea Platform – on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly – maintained that Kyiv ‘is ready to play its part in ensuring calm, safe navigation and food security in the Black Sea, provided that Russia is also prepared to take concrete steps towards de-escalation’, noting that Egypt, India and Turkey have already put forward some options to this effect.

“We have to start somewhere, and Russia must begin by respecting others,” notes Zelensky. “Basic respect for the world begins with simple things, such as food security, energy security and people’s right to live without fear. Russia must undergo this change.”

According to the Ukrainian president, Moscow’s lack of respect began in 2014, that is, ‘when Russia invaded Crimea’. In his view, there can be no real return to normality “without Crimea, without the restoration of security, the protection of people and lives, the release of prisoners held by Russia, and a return to the fundamental principles of international law”.

The reason for today’s cost-of-living crisis and the ‘terrible’ rises in energy and food prices can be traced back – again, in the words of Zelensky – to the Russian occupation of the peninsula 12 years ago. So much so that ‘our Crimea is at the heart of Putin’s war and of all the crises stemming from the fighting in the Black Sea’, he explains. ‘If Russia hadn’t stolen Crimea, if Putin hadn’t turned Crimea into a source of war and a massive military base, wheat, fertilisers, diesel and crude oil would now be moving freely in the Black Sea, just as they did before Putin’s war against us. But he has chosen to break every possible rule.”

To the extent that Zelensky concluded his speech by explaining that the current crises in the Middle East are merely the consequence of the Russian occupation of Crimea, which took place ‘with Putin’s conviction that he could start a war and get away with it. Today, people in many countries are paying more out of their own pockets just to get by, whilst others are forced to fight and die simply because one man decided he could redraw borders as he pleased’.

Yet, at the same time, from Moscow, Peskov reiterated that ‘President Zelensky could come to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin’ and that ‘he would be provided with every security guarantee’. “However,” he explains, “summit-level negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian conflict would be pointless without preliminary preparations at the level of experts and technical specialists.”

But on Ukrainian soil, military operations show no sign of letting up, to the extent that Kyiv’s urban rail service has been suspended following a drone attack on the capital at dawn. Several neighbourhoods were hit, and there were numerous fires. The Mayor of Kyiv himself reported this to the local press.

According to initial reports, debris from crashed drones is believed to have fallen amongst residential buildings and onto the premises of a transport company in the Solomianskyi district, where a fire broke out. Drones also struck and destroyed two petrol stations in different parts of Kyiv. A total of 161 drones were used in the raids on various regions of Ukraine.

Overnight, another shopping centre in Zaporizhzhia was struck, causing a major fire. This was reported by RBC Ukraine, citing the head of the regional military administration, Mykhailo Semikin. The attack targeted the Amstor shopping centre in the Pivdennyi district, which houses, amongst other things, a children’s play area, a Jysk shop and other retail outlets.

Meanwhile, the toughest period is looming for the Ukrainians. That is why Zelensky has personally asked Trump for military equipment for the winter, including Patriot missile defence systems and other technology. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Ukrainian leader said he believed that ‘the United States will try to reach an agreement to stop the attacks on energy infrastructure’. “I think Trump will try to negotiate a ceasefire in the energy sector,” remarked Zelensky.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, is set to meet representatives of the Trump administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in the United States on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. This is reported by The Guardian, citing Reuters sources with knowledge of the preparations for the talks. One source stated that the aim of the visit is to keep the dialogue between Russia and the United States, and the peace process, alive.