Zelenskyy warns Russia could step up Black Sea attacks and hints at more US talks

Separately, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia is likely to step up attacks on vessels in the Black Sea to undermine Ukraine’s grain corridor.

In comments reported by Interfax-Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that while “there are people near Putin who want to end the war: they see economic collapse, logistical collapse, there are [also] military personnel who want an expansion of the war, an increase in mobilization.”

“They want to kill us, and they want the continuation of this war. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for the winter plan,” he was quoted as saying at a joint press conference with Ireland’s Martin.

The Ukrainian president also suggested he could soon continue talks with US negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, after they spoke on the phone last night.

“We discussed that there could be several ideas. I understand what these ideas are, which were briefly presented to me yesterday, … we will discuss them with the Americans. I will try to make sure we do this in the near future,” he said.

Zelenskyy also confirmed that he approached the sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov with an offer to take the post of the deputy prime minister for military innovations.