Zelensky Warns Russia Preparing Massive Attack On Ukraine
The warning comes as Rubio prepares to meet Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on September 23
Published
Zelensky said Russia is preparing a "massive attack" on Ukraine, citing intelligence reports.
The warning follows weeks of diplomatic activity around a possible end to the war. Zelensky has said he and Trump discussed both an energy ceasefire and ending the war, and Trump has said the two leaders are working on a plan to end the conflict. Rubio is due to meet Lavrov in New York on September 23. Rubio has called avoiding strikes on energy sites the "ideal outcome" for both sides, though he stopped short of demanding Russia halt strikes on Ukraine's power grid. Macron has called for a double moratorium covering strikes on energy infrastructure and Black Sea grain shipments.
The backdrop has not been free of incident. A drone strike damaged a radiation monitor at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Russian-installed officials said, as both sides prepared for the separate talks in New York.
Zelensky's warning comes against that backdrop of active diplomacy and signs Ukraine is open to ceasefire negotiations. An imminent Russian offensive would mark a sharp escalation rather than a step toward de-escalation, and it undercuts the momentum toward talks. That raises the risk that negotiations collapse, making a near-term resolution less likely.