Zelenskyy confirms November trilateral summit with US and Russia

Almost 2,300 strike drones targeted Ukrainian cities in the past seven days, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday. The Ukrainian president used the figure to renew calls for Western allies to accelerate deliveries of interceptor systems. He stated that Russia also launched about 1,600 guided bombs and 48 missiles of various types during that period. The missile count included ballistic missiles, which Zelenskyy identified as a critical threat to Ukraine's air defenses.

Zelenskyy announced that a trilateral meeting between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow will occur in November. The summit aims to restart peace negotiations that have stalled. The president said Ukraine is ready to discuss territorial issues at the leadership level. He noted that other matters fall under technical groups and can be addressed in the same timeframe. Zelenskyy also pushed for a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin, arguing that the Russian leader is the only person capable of making major decisions to end the war.

The Ukrainian president outlined specific limits for the November discussions. He said Kyiv will not agree to limits on its armed forces. Ukraine also will not accept enforced postwar neutrality. Kyiv has long sought entry into NATO, despite hesitation from some member states. Zelenskyy emphasized that these core positions remain unchanged heading into the talks.

US warnings about imminent Russian ballistic missile strikes have been addressed, according to Zelenskyy. He told TSN television that SpaceX's Starshield satellite internet has operated at speeds of up to 420 kilometers per hour since early Saturday. The system was throttled earlier in October under diplomatic pressure from Washington. Zelenskyy spoke with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo before the service resumed full capacity.

Washington has pressured Ukraine to suspend strikes on Russian oil refineries. The US argues that these attacks push energy prices higher. Zelenskyy said Kyiv will only stop the strikes under one of three conditions. Moscow must stop hitting Ukraine's power infrastructure. Alternatively, the US must allow Ukraine to use Starshield over Russia to detect ballistic missile launch sites. The US could also supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles to justify continued attacks.

Russian forces conducted multiple strikes over the weekend. The Russian defense ministry said its drones hit a cargo vessel bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk overnight. Another cargo vessel heading to the port of Odesa was struck during the day. Moscow claimed the vessels were supplying the Ukrainian army. Russian forces also targeted a logistics center, a distribution center, and a logistics terminal in Kharkiv overnight. Reuters could not independently confirm these reports.

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed three people and injured 13, local authorities reported on Sunday. A separate drone strike later that day killed one more person. Regional Governor Alexander Shuvayev said the overnight attack damaged 30 apartment buildings in the city.

The presidential election in Bulgaria ended inconclusively on Sunday. A runoff vote will determine the next head of state. Andrey Gyurov, the candidate of the pro-Western reformist opposition, advanced to the second round. He will face incumbent leftist president Iliana Yotova. Yotova opposes military aid to Ukraine and favors dialogue with Russia. Gyurov has expressed firm support for Kyiv. The vote took place amid security concerns following a series of drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea.