Trump renews Russia-Ukraine peace push, urges Zelensky, Putin to ‘make a deal... settle’

US President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a settlement, citing what he described as staggering monthly death tolls in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Trump speaking to Fox News on Saturday (September 26), after his recent meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, said he wanted both leaders to end the fighting

“I want him to settle with Putin, and I want Putin to settle with him,” Trump said, referring to Zelensky.

Trump said 25,000 people had died in the war last month, following what he described as 32,000 deaths the previous month and 33,000 two months earlier. He said most of those killed were soldiers.

“Last month, 25,000 people died. Months before that, 32,000 people died, mostly soldiers… What a shame,” Trump said.

Trump said he wanted Zelensky and Putin to reach an agreement rather than continue the fighting.

Trump had earlier said after his meeting with Zelensky that Russia and Ukraine were moving towards an eventual agreement. He also said he hoped the two sides could reach a deal “before the heavy winter.”

Trump campaigned in 2024 on a promise to bring the war to an end quickly, but the conflict has continued despite repeated diplomatic efforts.

Russia and Ukraine continue deadly attacks

Trump's comments came as Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange attacks.

Russian attacks killed at least four people across Ukraine on Saturday, according to Ukrainian officials. Zelensky said Russia had intensified attacks across the country, including strikes on residential areas.

“It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day,” Zelensky wrote on Saturday.

“If the Russians have chosen to make their strikes even more brutal, the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further.”

Two women were killed after becoming trapped beneath the rubble of a home in Zaporizhzhia, according to the region's military administration. A separate Russian attack on Sumy also killed two people, local officials said.

Russian drones also struck parts of the Kyiv region and the capital, injuring several people and damaging residential and office buildings. A drone attack sparked a fire at a warehouse in the Boryspil district, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack on Kyiv damaged a data centre supporting mobile internet services and Starlink satellite communications.

Ukraine strikes Russian energy infrastructure

Ukraine, meanwhile, continued attacks on Russian oil refineries and industrial facilities using long-range drones.

A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's southern Krasnodar region killed three people and wounded two, according to regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev. Fires were reported at two industrial sites.

Zelensky later said Ukraine had damaged the Ilsky oil refinery in the region.

Ukrainian attacks also reportedly killed three people in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, according to Moscow-installed regional head Yevgeny Balitsky and Russian state media.

The attacks come amid continuing concern over energy infrastructure and fuel supplies, with Trump previously pressing Kyiv over strikes on Russian oil facilities.

Zelensky urges India, 46 other countries to act

The war also featured prominently in Zelenskyy's address to the 81st UN General Assembly earlier this week.

Zelensky urged India and 46 other countries to prevent their citizens from being drawn into Russia's war effort. He alleged that Russia was using nationals from 47 countries on the battlefield and that some had been brought to Russia through what he described as “deception and tricks.”

“We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war,” Zelenskyy said, naming India, Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan and South Africa among others.

“We also see people dying on the battlefield who are not Russians — people from your countries, 47 countries, who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks,” he said.

Zelensky calls for more pressure on Moscow

During his UN appearance, Zelensky also called on countries to restrict Russia's revenues and trade, arguing that Moscow's access to money allows it to sustain the war.

He has separately urged countries including India to reduce energy trade with Russia, arguing that revenues from oil exports help finance Moscow's military campaign.