Live blog: Zelenskyy wins promise of US air defence arms, warns against aid cut

Thursday, September 21, 2023

1818 GMT — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won a promise of "significant" new air defence weapons from the White House but he warned Kiev could lose the war with Russia if Republican lawmakers cut the flow of billions of dollars in US military aid.

Zelenskyy, wearing his trademark olive green military-style shirt on his second wartime visit to Washington, also failed to get the coveted long-range US missiles that Ukraine has been seeking in the effort to beat back President Vladimir Putin's forces.

A grim-faced Zelenskyy met Republican and Democratic leaders locked in a bitter spending battle that could spark a US government shutdown, with a $24 billion aid package for Ukraine at risk.

The hard-right faction dominating the Republican Party is increasingly adamant that the aid spigot should be turned off, with Congress having already approved $100 billion in aid to date, including $43 billion in weaponry.

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1741 GMT — Biden to announce air defence, no ATACMS missiles for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden will announce new air defence weapons for Ukraine during a visit by Zelenskyy but will not give Kiev long-range ATACMS missiles yet, the White House said.

"President Biden will announce a new package of military assistance today including significant air defence capabilities to help Ukraine," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told a briefing.

1758 GMT — Polish president says PM was misinterpreted on Ukraine arms

Polish President Andrzej Duda claimed that the prime minister's comments on no longer arming Ukraine had been taken the wrong way, amid a mounting row between the two countries.

Poland has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since Russia attacked in February 2022 and is one of Kiev's main weapons suppliers.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had said on Wednesday: "We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons."

On Thursday, Warsaw promised to fulfil existing arms supply deals with Ukraine.

1640 GMT — Russia's leverage on grain to decline, senior US official says

Russia's leverage over Ukraine's export of grain via the Black Sea will likely erode in weeks to come as more ships are able to leave Ukrainian ports and rising costs could prompt Moscow to reconsider its abandonment of the grain deal, a senior US State Department official said.

James O'Brien, head of the State Department Office of Sanctions Coordination, said leaders at the UN General Assembly this week discussed efforts to revive the deal, which Russia abandoned in July.

Western countries have accused Russia of using food as a weapon of war by quitting the Black Sea deal, which had helped bring down global food prices, and then carrying out repeated air strikes on Ukrainian ports and grain stores.

1548 GMT — NATO chief: US has to ensure Ukraine wins if it wants to deal with China

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that his "main task" this week is to mobilize more support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

"If the United States is concerned about China and wants to pivot towards Asia, then you have to ensure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin doesn’t win in Ukraine," Stoltenberg told the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think-tank.

The NATO chief argued that such a scenario means "the second biggest army in Europe (Ukraine) on our side."

1303 GMT — Zelenskyy arrives at US Capitol to meet sceptical Republicans

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the US Capitol as Republican sceptics question whether Congress should approve a new round of aid for his country despite slow progress fighting the Russians.

Zelenskyy travelled to Washington after seeking to shore up international support at the United Nations on a crosstown blitz that includes meetings with US President Joe Biden and military leaders at the Pentagon and an address in the evening at the National Archives museum.

While Biden and most congressional leaders still support aid to Ukraine, and Biden's Democrats control the Senate, Zelenskyy will face a tougher crowd than his last visit.

"Is Zelenskiy elected to Congress? Is he our president? I don't have to commit anything," Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters. "I have questions for him. Where's the accountability on the money we've already spent? What is the plan for victory? I think that's what the American public wants to know."

1259 GMT — First Ukraine grain ship since Russian blockade reaches Istanbul

The first grain ship to sail from Ukraine since Russia reimposed its Black Sea blockade in July reached Istanbul, marine traffic monitors said.

Ukrainian officials said the Palau-flagged Resilient Africa vessel was carrying 3,000 tonnes of wheat when it left Ukraine's Chornomorsk port on Tuesday.

1251 GMT — Russia, Ukraine accuse each other of air attacks

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of airstrikes, with Moscow claiming the downing of 22 Ukrainian drones and authorities on the opposite side reporting destruction in the Lviv region.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that 22 drones were shot down last night – 19 over the Black Sea and Crimea and one each in Kursk, Belgorod, and Oryol regions.

Meanwhile, in the Bryansk region, an emergency was declared in several settlements because of Ukraine's shelling.

1225 GMT — Kiev warns of 'difficult' winter as Russia hits Ukraine cities

Ukraine warned that difficult winter months lay ahead after a "massive" Russian missile barrage targeted civilian infrastructure, leaving several dead and wounded in towns across Ukraine.

The fresh attack came as Poland said it would honour pre-existing commitments of weapons supplies to Kiev, a day after saying it would no longer arm its neighbour in a mounting row between the two neighbours.

"Difficult months are ahead: Russia will attack energy and critically important facilities," said Oleksiy Kuleba, the deputy head of Kiev's presidential office. He added that Moscow had targeted "civilian infrastructure" across Ukraine.

Kiev said there were power cuts across the country - in almost 400 cities, towns and villages - as Russia targeted energy sites, but Ukraine added it was "too early" to tell if this was the start of a new Russian campaign against its energy sites.

1052 GMT — Zelenskyy seeks more air defence systems after Russian attack

Zelenskyy underlined his country's need for more air defence systems after Russia launched its biggest attack on Ukraine in weeks.

"Last night, Russian terrorists launched another massive attack. In particular, on infrastructure. Most of the missiles were shot down. But only most of them. Not all of them," he said on the Telegram messaging app.

"More air defence. More sanctions. More support for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines," he wrote during a visit to the United States, where he said air defence systems would be on the agenda of talks.

0726 GMT — Ukraine strikes air base in Crimea, causes 'serious damage'

Ukraine's security service and navy struck the Saky air base in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, inflicting "serious damage", a Ukrainian intelligence source have said.

The Russian military, meanwhile, said it destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and the Black Sea and gave no details on casualties or damage. Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

0714 GMT — Ukraine warns of difficult months ahead after 'massive' barrage

Ukraine has warned of difficult months ahead after a "massive" Russian overnight missile attack that left dead and wounded across the country.

"Tonight, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine," Oleksiy Kuleba, the deputy head of the presidential office said. "Difficult months are ahead: Russia will attack energy and critically important facilities," he added, as fears rise over energy security ahead of a second winter of war.

0709 GMT — Ukraine says downed 36 out of 43 Russian missiles overnight

Ukraine has said its air defence systems had brought down three dozen Russian cruise missiles overnight in Moscow's latest barrage that left dead and injured throughout the country.

Valery Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, said on social media that Ukrainian forces had downed 36 of 43 cruise missiles launched by Russian bombers.

0511GMT — Belgium considering F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine — PM

Belgium is considering whether to supply its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said.

Belgium is replacing its F-16s with F-35 fighter jets and its defence ministry had said earlier the F-16s were too old for Ukraine to use in battle, though De Croo said they might still be of use, for example in training pilots.

"I have asked Defence to see what use our F-16s could have in Ukraine," De Croo told Belgian broadcaster VRT on Wednesday, speaking on the sidelines of the UN general meeting in New York. "We need to consider all options."

In recent months, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands have said they will supply Ukraine with F-16s once its air force is ready to use them.

0417 GMT — Russian missile barrage kills two

Explosions rocked six Ukrainian cities overnight, as a massive Russian attack started fires and killed at least two people. More than 21 people were wounded.

Seven people were injured in Kiev, including a 9-year-old girl, reported Mayor Vitali Klitschko, and some residential and commercial buildings were damaged.

At least six strikes hit the Slobidskyi district of Kharkiv, damaging civilian infrastructure damaged, said regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov. The city’s mayor added that two people had been sent to hospitals.

Five were injured and at least one person was buried under rubble in Cherkasy, where a social infrastructure building was damaged, said regional Governor Ihor Taburets.

0412 GMT — Zelenskyy to meet US president, lawmakers in Washington

Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House, speak with US military leaders at the Pentagon and stop at Capitol Hill to talk privately with Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate as the world is watching Western support for Kiev.

It is Zelenskyy's second visit to Washington since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022 and comes as Biden's request to Congress for an additional $24 billion for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs is hanging in the balance.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called the Ukrainian president “our best messenger” in persuading US lawmakers to keep vital US money and weapons coming.

“It’s really important for members of Congress to be able to hear directly from the president about what he's facing in this counteroffensive," Kirby told reporters Wednesday, "and how he’s achieving his goals, and what he needs to continue to achieve those goals."

0253 GMT — Germany to host 2nd Ukraine reconstruction talks

Germany will host an international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine next year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York.

The June 11, 2024 talks will take place in Berlin, added the chancellery in a statement.

London hosted the last such conference, which brought together leaders and representatives of more than 60 countries and financial institutions in June to release funds for the country to rebuild after the Russian offensive.

The aim of the conference is to help Ukraine keep its economy afloat and, in the longer term, to rebuild its infrastructure.

0130GMT — Russia says 19 Ukrainian drones destroyed over Crimea, Black Sea

Russia has said that it had destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones overnight above the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula and the surrounding Black Sea, plus three others elsewhere.

"Air defence systems destroyed 19 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the Black Sea and the territory of the Republic of Crimea, and one each over the territories of Kursk, Belgorod and Oryol regions," the Defence Ministry said on messaging platform Telegram.

0100 GMT — Saudi crown prince says rise in oil prices not meant to help Russia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said in a US television interview that OPEC's decision to cut oil production was based on market stability and was not intended to help Russia wage its war in Ukraine.

"We just watch supply, demand. If there is shortage of supply our role in OPEC+ is to fill that shortage. If there is oversupply our role of OPEC+ is to measure that for the stability of the market," the crown prince said in an interview on Fox News.

1233 GMT — Poland says won't arm Kiev

Poland will no longer arm Ukraine to focus on its own defence, the Polish prime minister has said, a few hours after Warsaw summoned Kiev's ambassador amid a row over grain exports.

"We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons," Mateusz Morawiecki said, in response to a question from a reporter on whether Warsaw would continue to support Kiev despite the grain exports disagreement.

For our live updates from Wednesday (September 20), click here.