Zelenskyy's full UN address War, defense and diplomacy

Sep 2026

UN Web TV carries Volodymyr Zelenskyy's complete September 23, 2026 General Assembly address. He quotes Donald Trump's Monday Truth Social post saying Russian diesel refineries have been knocked out and the war must end, endorsing the post's conclusions. He claims 248,964 Russian troops were killed or badly wounded from January through August, says Ukraine has drone-video confirmation, and contrasts those losses with just over 1,000 square kilometers captured that year, a significant portion of which he says Ukraine has retaken. These are his attributed figures and assessments. He describes North Korean troops supporting Russia, heavy losses and improved North Korean missile and drone capabilities received in return. He says Ukraine recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, recounting one prisoner's suicide attempt at capture and condemning what he describes as indoctrination and denial of choice. He also says Putin recently repeated a promise to U.S. presidential representatives to seize Donetsk within a few months, without dating or identifying that encounter. He alleges wider Russian territorial ambitions and threats, calls Putin the origin of spreading war, and urges restricting his ability to act. Zelenskyy defends Ukrainian strikes as targeting Russia's capacity to finance and prolong the war, rather than oil, fuel, factories or ports as ends in themselves. He thanks supporters for sanctions, assistance and joint weapons production, urges reduced trade with Russia, and says weakening sanctions on wealthy Russians gives the war more time. He claims a record Russian budget deficit, widespread regional bankruptcy and failed summer offensives. His statements about Russia's finances and military performance remain attributed. He says ballistic missiles and jet-powered Shaheds are especially difficult threats. He gives more than 2,100 Russian missiles used that year, including over 950 ballistic missiles, and 63,000 attack drones in the first eight months, including more than 7,700 jet-powered Shaheds. He describes repeated disruption to cities, infrastructure and schooling, then reports successful tests of four new Ukrainian jet-powered interceptor drones and says production is being expanded. He provides no test dates, output totals or proof of mass deployment. He recalls the launched FREYJA anti-ballistic program, names Ukraine and nine European partners, says he invited Poland the previous week and describes consultations with further governments. He invites additional participants and seeks cheaper, more scalable protection integrated into Ukrainian and European defense. He explicitly says FREYJA complements rather than replaces Patriot and upgraded SAMP/T systems, and describes worldwide interceptor shortages, including in the Gulf. Operational availability of FREYJA is not announced. He presents Ukraine's drone-deal format as cooperation on integrated air, sea and land defense, border monitoring and resilient infrastructure rather than simply drone sales. He says partnerships already operate in the Gulf, South Caucasus and Europe; announces a drone deal signed that day with Finland and a security agreement signed with Australia that includes drones; and says Canadian and other deals are being prepared. He gives no terms, quantities or deliveries for the signed agreements. He cites Ukrainian long-range strikes reaching Siberia and Yamal, naval-drone successes and production of conventional weapons as evidence for his offer to share tested security capabilities; these examples are his claims, without identified strike dates. He warns that continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy and heating would lead Ukraine to make winter painful for Russia too, while calling for de-escalation before winter, diplomacy and strength. He recalls meeting the U.S. president the previous day. In a distinct appeal, he says he has not spoken directly with China's leader during the U.S. visit, argues that the leader can influence Russia and wishes him to seek peace as Ukraine does. No Chinese commitment, accepted energy truce or peace settlement is reported. He calls for slowing the spread of weapons and ending existing wars before AI may help decide battlefield outcomes as early as the following year. He describes transformed warfare since 2022 and invokes predictions that AI may eventually shape the physical world. These are warnings and possibilities, not evidence that autonomous battlefield decision-making has already occurred. In his closing appeal, he attributes warnings of wider Russian attacks, potentially on NATO territory, to European intelligence. He says Russia uses citizens of 47 countries, names examples, describes foreign prisoners and requests to return some home, and alleges deceptive recruitment. He urges their governments to protect citizens from another front, limit Russia's money and room to act, and guarantee security. These recruitment, casualty, responsibility and future-threat claims remain his account.

Zelenskyy says in his September 23 UN address that Ukraine recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. He recounts one prisoner's attempted suicide during capture and condemns what he describes as North Korean indoctrination and denial of choice. The exact transfer day, route and arrangements are not stated in the broadcast.