Zelensky thanks U.S. senators for sanctions bill and seeks more missile defenses in New York

Arriving in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, President Volodymyr Zelensky began his visit with a meeting of U.S. senators, where he thanked them for their strong bipartisan backing of the Lindsey Graham sanctions bill. He argued that once the sanctions are fully enforced, Ukraine will move nearer to lasting peace and security. The discussion also covered tighter coordination between Ukrainian and American teams on further sanctions measures.

Zelensky briefed the senators on de-escalation proposals he plans to present to the U.S. President. He highlighted Ukraine’s pressing requirement for more ballistic missile interceptors and warned that the existing Patriot systems cannot be replaced at this stage. More anti-ballistic capability, he said, would deter Russian strikes and help protect civilians as winter approaches.