Three ceasefire tracks under discussion with Russia — Zelenskyy

At the United Nations on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implored world leaders to continue choking Russia's finances and hindering its war efforts in Ukraine. Zelenskyy argued that ending the conflict hinges on halting Russia's ability to finance and sustain the war, stating that Russian finances and production must be targeted if Putin is to be stopped.

Russia's reliance on trade revenue, he argued, often leads it to reject diplomatic solutions. Earlier at the U.N. Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clashed with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and her country's European supporters. Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met off the assembly sidelines to discuss the war.

The U.S. is willing to help achieve a limited ceasefire to halt attacks on grain shipments and energy sectors, which are major exports for both countries. Russia's Foreign Ministry made no mention of such a deal after the Lavrov-Rubio meeting. The statement reiterated that Russia's military operation in Ukraine, dubbed its "special military operation," must address the root causes.

Lavrov stated Russia would not pause its military action, claiming Europe would use it to "pump" Ukraine with weapons. He also called Ukraine's government "terrorists" and said Moscow's military operation aims to protect Russia's security and the rights of Russian speakers. Zelenskyy cast doubt on Russia's interest in ending the fighting, warning that Putin's freedom to act increases global danger.

The war has had global repercussions for fuel, fertilizer, and grain shipments, and widened divisions between Russia and the West. Over 500,000 Russian troops and more than 500,000 Ukrainian military casualties have been reported in the conflict, though neither country discloses its own casualty totals. Russia intensified its long-range attacks with drones and missiles, and Russian drones targeted Kyiv on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 23.