Zelensky urges China, India and other G20 nations to pressure Russia over attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other Global South states to use their influence on Russia after a wave of drone, missile and bomb strikes across Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky posted on Telegram urging China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other G20 and Global South nations to adopt a stronger position against Russia. He noted that Moscow has launched numerous drones, guided bombs and missiles, striking cities such as Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Poltava, Zhytomyr and Kyiv, damaging homes, power facilities and a Kyiv data centre. The night raids resulted in three civilian deaths in Zaporizhzhia and one in Kyiv, with additional injuries including two children.
Zelensky stressed that each of these states has leverage over Russia through oil purchases and arms trade and can help turn peace into reality. He also reaffirmed Ukraine’s ongoing cooperation with the United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan and Australia on defence and diplomacy.
Why it matters
The appeal targets key economic partners of Russia, seeking broader pressure to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report Zelensky urging non-Western nations to pressure Russia, with largely identical details; the left emphasizes the Global South and the intensity of attacks, while the center stresses the G20 context and economic leverage.
LEFT
Zelensky calls on Global South nations to pressure Russia as attacks intensify.
CENTER
Zelensky urges G20 and Global South nations to pressure Russia, highlighting their leverage through oil and arms trade.
The left emphasises
- urges Global South nations to pressure Russia
- attacks intensify
- provides new figures on Russian aggression
How this story developed
- Sep 1 Russia multiplies jet-powered Shahed drone strikes fivefold in one month
- Sep 20 In the early hours of Friday, Russia's anti-aircraft units reported destroying 35 Ukrainian drones heading for the capital. Local authorities said a comparable wave of drones was also intercepted in the Toula district south of Moscow. The incidents occurred as Russia began a three-day parliamentary and local election cycle. No casualties were reported from the interceptions.
- Sep 20 Zelensky said a major Russian oil refinery, a logistics structure and the Voronezh region were hit in the massive attack.
- Sep 20 Officials reported that 249 unmanned aircraft were intercepted in the latest wave of attacks.
- Sep 21 Election commission chair Ella Pamfilova said preliminary results will be announced Monday at 11 hours (10 hours in Paris).
- Sep 21 Russia's defence ministry said it will increase the frequency and precision of its strikes on Kyiv.
- Sep 21 Partial results show United Russia holding at least 338 of the 450 Duma seats.
- Sep 21 Preliminary results show United Russia winning 355 of the 450 State Duma seats, surpassing its previous 2016 high. The foreign ministries of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway issued a joint statement condemning elections held in Crimea and the four Ukrainian regions seized by Russia as violations of Ukraine's sovereignty. They demanded accountability for those organizing the vote and urged Russia to end its war and accept an unconditional ceasefire. The same period saw France support the removal of oligarch Alisher Usmanov from the EU sanctions list, a move backed by Slovakia and linked to broader negotiations over detained French nationals in Azerbaijan.
- Sep 21 The Quai d’Orsay condemns holding the vote in the occupied territories of Crimea and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, calling it a violation of international law and the UN Charter and stating Fran
- Sep 21 Western allies issued a joint declaration condemning the election as a breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Sep 24 Reports allege that corporate managers pressured staff to vote for United Russia, suggesting coercion in the electoral process.
- Sep 25 Twin drone alerts triggered deployments of Spanish F‑18s and Romanian F‑16s to monitor the airspace.
- Sep 25 Ukrainian commanders announced further territorial gains around Lyman since the initial report.
- Sep 26 President Trump publicly urged Ukraine to negotiate a settlement with Russia.
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