Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Key updates Trump Open to Meeting Putin and Xi Without Zelensky, Says Ukraine Needs New Negotiator Pope Leo XIV Calls Zelensky After Speaking With Putin to Discuss Russian-Occupied Oleshky Again Zelensky Tells US Lawmakers Washington Has Yet to Explain Starlink Limits, Missed Missile Warnings Trump says he is willing to meet Putin and Xi in China, defends easing sanctions on Russia and suggests someone else should negotiate for Ukraine, drawing objections from Kyiv. US President Donald Trump said Monday, Oct. 19, that he was willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month, potentially without President Volodymyr Zelensky, while renewing his criticism of Kyiv and suggesting that someone else should negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf. Trump said a possible meeting would primarily focus on nuclear disarmament but could also address Russia’s war against Ukraine, despite Kyiv’s objections to negotiations over its future without Kyiv’s participation. Pope Leo XIV spoke with Zelensky three days after appealing to Putin for a humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, where civilians face severe shortages of food and medicine. Pope Leo XIV held a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, Oct. 19, just three days after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the Vatican intensified efforts to secure humanitarian access to the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky in the southern Kherson region. During the call, the pope returned to his earlier request for a humanitarian ceasefire, expressing hope that cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow would allow desperately needed food and medical supplies to reach civilians trapped in the town and enable their safe evacuation. Speaking during a virtual meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky told a bipartisan group of US lawmakers that Washington has yet to explain the Starlink speed limits or the missing warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks. On the same day, he also met with the team of the American defense company, Lockheed Martin, in Kyiv, as Ukraine seeks more Patriot interceptors that it has reportedly run out of. President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed US lawmakers on Monday, Oct. 19, for answers Washington has yet to provide about Ukraine’s restricted satellite links and the missing allied warnings of incoming Russian ballistic missiles. Speaking during a virtual meeting with Republicans and Democrats from both the Senate and the House, Zelensky said neither problem had been explained by the US side. The meeting, Zelensky said in a statement, was arranged by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.