Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the United States to conclude a bilateral drone deal with Ukraine, emphasizing that both nations could benefit from each other's expertise. In an interview on CBS Face the Nation, Zelenskyy stated, "The US wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed to the way they wanted to test, train with, and use our systems in the air, on land, and at sea. But we still don't have a bilateral drone deal – a big framework document."
Zelenskyy noted that Middle Eastern countries, which have faced Iranian attacks using the same Shahed drones Russia employs against Ukraine, have already signed deals with Ukraine for defensive drones and training. He expressed hope that the US would follow suit, saying, "The drone deals we have are with some countries in the Middle East and Europe, and now we are preparing a big drone deal with the EU. I hope we will reach the same agreement with our American partners."
While acknowledging that Ukraine could gain from US expertise, particularly in advanced AI technologies, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine's extensive battlefield experience offers unique advantages. "I think this cooperation can be huge … for this, we need President Trump to say yes," he added.
On the battlefield, Ukraine launched fresh strikes on Russian energy infrastructure on Sunday. According to Ukraine's general staff, drones struck the Rosneft oil refinery in Saratov, south-western Russia, causing a large fire. The refinery is said to supply Moscow's war effort. Local governor Roman Busargin confirmed the attack, while independent Russian news channel Astra reported that an oil refinery was ablaze in Saratov.
Ukraine also targeted the Lazarevo pumping station in Russia's Kirov region, over 1,200 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The station is crucial for shipping Russian oil from Siberia to Belarus. Regional governor Alexander Sokolov confirmed the drone strike. Additionally, a fuel depot in the Rostov region was set on fire by drones, according to local governor Yuriy Slyusar. Ukraine's general staff confirmed the strike on the town of Matveev Kurgan, which local authorities said caused a large fire.
In Ukraine, Russian drone attacks continued to inflict casualties and damage. A truck driver was killed early Sunday when Russian drones hit a parking lot in the Chernihiv region, according to local administration head Vyacheslav Chaus. A local energy company reported that 40,000 people were left without power after a Russian attack on Chernihiv. Russian drones also struck the city of Dnipro and an oil refinery in the Rivne region, causing fires. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk region confirmed one death and nine injuries from Russian attacks in the province.
A Russian-appointed official alleged that a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building in the city of Henichesk in the Russian-held part of the Kherson region, killing a child and injuring 11 people. Meanwhile, Ukraine received a new Iris-T missile launcher from Germany on Saturday, as Zelenskyy appealed to allies for more air defense ammunition. "We also need missiles for air defense systems to have sufficient capabilities to repel Russian attacks," he said. The Iris-T is a short-range missile capable of intercepting missiles, drones, rockets, and aircraft, but unlike the Patriot system, it is not considered effective against ballistic missiles.
In the Face the Nation interview, Zelenskyy also condemned Russia's treatment of abducted Ukrainian children, claiming they are "essentially treated as combatants" and trained to fight against their fellow Ukrainians. "They taught these children to hate their native country, to hate [their] native people. And Ukrainians, can you imagine, such young Ukrainians – young boys – come to the battlefield and kill [other] Ukrainians," he said. Russia has reportedly separated abducted siblings, adopting them out to different families, and offered to trade some children for captured Ukrainian soldiers in prisoner swaps. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions.
Zelenskyy also expressed a desire to press on with peace talks before winter, citing Ukraine's improved strategic position against Russia. The conflict continues to escalate as both sides intensify drone warfare and strikes on critical infrastructure.
