Ukraine's president, travelling toward the Netherlands, found himself warning against a meeting not yet held, one that could echo the old carving-up of Europe at Yalta. He fears a possible gathering of Trump, Putin and Xi may hand Moscow a diplomatic prize, even as a small, fragile pause in fighting takes hold in a shattered town where two thousand people remain. In the long story of wars that end through bargains among great powers rather than through the will of those who suffer them, this moment asks whether the table is being set for peace or for division.
Zelenskyy Warns Proposed US-Russia-China Summit Could Redraw Spheres of Influence
Five people, including a four-year-old child, were injured in a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, and one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in Belgorod; about 2,000 residents remain in Oleshky.
"Yalta 2, 3, 4" with a redistribution of influence
Mark
Why does Zelenskyy reach back to Yalta?
Mimi
Because Yalta is shorthand for big powers deciding the fate of smaller countries without them. He fears Ukraine could be discussed rather than heard.
Mark
Is the summit actually confirmed?
Luke
No. The Kremlin has said preparations are underway, and the Wall Street Journal reported Trump was open but had not agreed. That's the extent of it.
Mark
So Zelenskyy is reacting to something unsettled.
Mimi
Yes, and he says so himself: what the three might discuss isn't defined. His warning is about risk, not a known agenda.
Mark
What is Kyiv asking for in response?
Mimi
Abu Dhabi talks with US and Russian envoys before any summit. There's no date yet.
Luke
Worth noting that Arakhamia's line about the "biggest de-escalation since 2022" is conditional. The Oleshky truce had held only a day when this was reported.
Mark
And the Patriot numbers?
Luke
Those are Zelenskyy's figures: 12 missiles a month received, 150 ballistic missiles a month fired at Ukraine. No independent count is given.
Mark
What about the Black Sea ships?
Luke
Russia hasn't claimed the attacks. Radev said the logic points to Moscow but they can't prove it. That's suspicion, not attribution.
Le Pouls
- Zelenskyy warns that a proposed Trump-Putin-Xi summit could become a 'Yalta 2' carving up of influence, handing Moscow a major advantage.
- The summit remains unconfirmed, with Trump reportedly not yet agreed to attend and no defined agenda.
- A six-day truce in occupied Oleshky held its first day, opening a corridor for food, medicine and evacuations for about 2,000 residents.
- Kyiv is pushing for Ukraine-Russia-US talks in Abu Dhabi to happen before any three-way summit, with no date yet set.
- Drones keep striking: a Kharkiv attack injured five including a child, and a container ship was hit off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast with its crew evacuated.
Ukraine's president, travelling toward the Netherlands, found himself warning against a meeting not yet held, one that could echo the old carving-up of Europe at Yalta. He fears a possible gathering of Trump, Putin and Xi may hand Moscow a diplomatic prize, even as a small, fragile pause in fighting takes hold in a shattered town where two thousand people remain. In the long story of wars that end through bargains among great powers rather than through the will of those who suffer them, this moment asks whether the table is being set for peace or for division.
On Wednesday, as he travelled to the Netherlands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters he did not want a coming summit to become another 'Yalta.' He was referring to the 1945 Crimea conference where the Allied powers redrew the postwar map, and he worries that a proposed meeting of the leaders of the United States, Russia and China could become a similar exercise in dividing influence. The Kremlin has said preparations are underway for Vladimir Putin to meet Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit next month, though Trump had not agreed to attend.
Zelenskyy said the agenda is unclear, and that Russia wants the meeting more than anyone. He pressed Washington for more Patriot air defense missiles, which he said Ukraine receives at a rate of only 12 a month against 150 ballistic missiles. In The Hague he thanked the Dutch government for its support, and he spoke with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham about additional aid.
On the ground, a six-day ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, held through its first day. It is meant to let a humanitarian operation bring food and medicine to roughly 2,000 remaining residents and evacuate those who wish to leave. If it holds, it would be the first significant truce observed by both sides in more than four and a half years of war.
Elsewhere the violence continued. A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv injured five people, including a four-year-old child. In the Black Sea, three maritime drones struck a container ship off Bulgaria's coast; its crew evacuated safely while defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia. Two things now bear watching: whether talks in Abu Dhabi take place before any summit, and whether the Oleshky truce survives until Sunday.
On Wednesday, as he travelled to the Netherlands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists he did not want a coming summit to turn into "Yalta 2, 3, 4." The reference was to the 1945 conference in Crimea, where the Allied powers redrew the postwar map. His worry is that a proposed meeting next month among the leaders of the United States, Russia and China could become a similar exercise in dividing up influence.
The Kremlin has previously said preparations were underway for Vladimir Putin to meet Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit next month. The Wall Street Journal first reported the plan earlier this month. It said the idea came from Putin and that Trump had not agreed to attend at the time, though he was open to it because he wants the war in Ukraine to end.
Zelenskyy said what the three powers might discuss has not been clearly defined. He added that Russia wants the meeting more than anyone, and warned against handing Moscow "another major diplomatic advantage." Russia has for years sought a new arrangement with Washington on European security, including an end to what Putin sees as NATO's aggressive expansion. Putin continues to describe his invasion as a response to that threat, a claim widely rejected in Kyiv and across Europe.
Zelenskyy's warning came ahead of planned talks among Ukrainian, Russian and US envoys in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, next month. No date is set, but Kyiv wants the meeting held before any three-way summit. It was also confirmed Wednesday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to Atlanta for a meeting with G20 counterparts on October 30-31.
In The Hague, Zelenskyy was due to meet Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and King Willem-Alexander. The Dutch government said it would give Ukraine €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) in non-military support over the coming years. Zelenskyy also spoke by phone with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to thank him for an additional £10 billion in support announced the same day. He pressed Washington for more US Patriot air defense missiles, which remain Ukraine's most important defensive asset. By his account, Ukraine received 12 of them a month this year, while facing 150 ballistic missiles a month.
On the ground, a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, held through its first day and night. It began Tuesday and runs until Sunday, allowing a humanitarian operation to bring food and medicine to roughly 2,000 remaining residents and to evacuate those who wish to leave. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was grateful for the chance to evacuate people. The White House said US first lady Melania Trump, who took an interest in the town's plight, helped broker the mission. If it holds, it would be the first significant truce observed by both sides in more than four and a half years of war. Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arakhamia called it the biggest de-escalation since 2022.
Fighting continued elsewhere. A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv overnight injured five people, including a four-year-old child. Russia's Defense Ministry said it downed 531 Ukrainian drones overnight, and Belgorod authorities reported one person killed in a drone attack.
In the Black Sea, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said three maritime drones struck a container ship off Bulgaria's coast. The crew evacuated, and no casualties were immediately reported, according to the BTA news agency. The attack came while the defense ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey were meeting in Sofia on Black Sea security. Turkey's Yasar Guler said warnings were being passed to both sides to keep commercial shipping out of the conflict zone. Several drone attacks this month off NATO members Romania and Bulgaria have gone unclaimed, with suspicion falling on Moscow. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the logic points that way, but that proof is lacking.
Two things to watch: whether the Abu Dhabi talks happen before the summit, and whether the Oleshky truce lasts through Sunday.
Citations marquantes
Russia wants this meeting more than anyone.— Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The logic points in that direction. The problem is that we cannot prove it.— Rumen Radev, Bulgarian Prime Minister
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