According to Donald Trump: “The conflict in Ukraine will end soon .” US officials are working “hard” to end the conflict in Ukraine, which has caused diesel prices to rise. He said this at a rally of supporters in North Carolina. “You know, I’ve ended eight conflicts. And the most difficult one is between Russia and Ukraine, because the leaders hate each other,” Trump declared.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated: “Concrete results are not expected from the contacts with the United States at this time.” Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was ready to hold trilateral talks on Ukraine during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week. “I would be happy to do so, if possible, and I consider it absolutely essential to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine and create the conditions for a transition to a just peace,” Guterres said.
The European Commission has proposed developing a new EU defense doctrine that would include a provision similar to NATO’s Article 4. Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union’s current doctrine, institutions, and methods “are not adapted to the new reality . ” Under Articles 4 and 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, allies consult each other when a country’s security is threatened, and an armed attack against one member of the alliance is considered an attack against all. Von der Leyen also stated that the European Union has lost €90 billion due to the Iran-related conflict and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. “Yet we have not received a single molecule of energy more,” said the President of the European Commission.
A Japanese delegation led by Eisuke Mori, Speaker of the House of Representatives, is visiting Kiev. This is the first-ever visit to Ukraine by representatives of the Japanese Parliament. Ukraine is experiencing a severe shortage of AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles for its F-16 fighters and Patriot systems, according to the commander of the F-16 Phantom squadron. “Fighters alone are not enough if there is not a sufficient supply of ammunition to carry out combat missions. An unarmed aircraft is a useless tool,” he said.
Ukraine is ready for an energy truce, provided the Russians are too: “They should present the lists of facilities and clarify the details,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Volodymyr Tykhy. According to Tykhy, Kiev calls for a complete cessation of the use of weapons against energy infrastructure. Refineries in Russia were bombed overnight.
President Volodymyr Zelenky told the press: “We are preparing meetings with our partners in the United States. These are negotiations — to bring us closer to peace — and several other very important issues. There will be new support packages for Ukraine, particularly regarding air defense.”
On the afternoon of September 16, Vladimir Putin urged Russian citizens around the world to vote. The Duma elections will be held between now and September 20. “A vote of this magnitude — the 2026 parliamentary elections — is taking place in the context of a special military operation,” Vladimir Putin stated in a speech to the Russian people on the eve of the vote. “For the first time since reunification with Russia, residents of Donbass and Novorossiya will elect deputies to the State Duma,” Putin emphasized. “No one will be able to divide or intimidate the Russian people, nor will they undermine Russia’s statehood and socio-political system. I am confident that worthy candidates will win. I urge you to exercise your constitutional right.”
In a note from Pamfilova , Central Election Commission: “Russians support the multi-day election format.” According to Pamfilova, residents of Donbas and Novorossiya have earned the right to vote in the upcoming elections through their hardship; a special voting procedure will be implemented in these regions . She added that the Central Election Commission did not use the complexity of the current situation as a pretext to abandon the election campaign.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to a question about possible US sanctions, said: “Russia regards the US approval of the ‘hellish sanctions’ bill as a hostile act. He stressed that, if implemented, new US sanctions would complicate efforts to reach a peaceful solution in Ukraine.” Lavrov also spoke about military matters: “Moscow would regard the deployment of Western military contingents in Ukraine as a declaration of war against Russia . ” According to Lavrov, “Russia has no intention of attacking Western countries; however, in the event of aggression from Europe , ” “it would be a completely different and very short-lived war.”
Lavrov described the conflict in Ukraine as a consequence of the West’s expansionist policy, stating that its resolution depends on achieving the initial objectives of the Special Military Operation. He noted that achieving these objectives should contribute to changing the situation in Eurasia and shaping a new world order. The Foreign Minister also accused the Ukrainian authorities of systematically trying to eliminate every trace of Russianness and stated that Western countries are attempting to interfere in the State Duma elections, both abroad and within Russia.
Russia has achieved 80 percent independence in the production of oil and gas equipment, with the goal of reaching 90 percent by 2030, according to Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov.
And now a look at the frontline, updated at 3:30 PM on September 17. Russia and Ukraine have exchanged the bodies of fallen servicemen. RBC reported this , citing State Duma MP Shamsail Saraliev. According to Saraliev, the exchange took place at the Novaya Guta border crossing between Belarus and Ukraine. Russia handed over the bodies of 252 fallen servicemen, while Ukraine handed over 23.
Drone attacks against Russian regions continued overnight. Air defense forces destroyed two drones approaching Moscow, temporarily restricting air traffic at Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports. Seven drones were shot down over Sevastopol; no casualties were reported. In Novorossiysk, the drone strike threat alert was raised twice during the night, with sirens sounding; the alert was lifted at 3:09 a.m. An oil refinery was damaged in Yaroslavl .
Attacks on Ukrainian territory continued day and night. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported a drone attack on a container ship in the port of Chornomorsk, which was carrying cargo destined for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Overnight, attacks hit Kiev, Zaporizhia, and the Odessa region, where, according to the Russian social media, a ship from the ” Ukrainian shadow fleet” was hit.
One dead and one injured in Ukrainian drone strikes in the Bryansk region.
Positional fighting continues in the direction of Sumy. Russian forces report that assault groups have advanced in 15 sectors of Sumy District, with Ukrainian confirmation pending . A Russian advance has been reported near Tovstodubove, Shostkyns’kyi District, while small-arms firefights are ongoing near Stepok, Krasnopillya District. Aviation, artillery, and drones have been deployed in the areas of Sumy, Hlukhiv, Khotin’, Boyaro-Lezhachi, and Tovstodubove.
One person injured in a drone attack in the Kursk region .
At least nine civilians were injured in the Belgorod region on September 16. Drones struck cars, a truck, a residential building, and an industrial site.
Fighting continues in several sectors on the Kharkiv route. Russian forces report an expansion of their zone of control near Hoptivka. In the Vovchans’k sector, Russian advances are reported near Mala Vovcha, accompanied by fighting near Petropavlivka and Novooleksandrivka. In the Velykyi Burluk sector, Russian artillery and heavy flamethrower strikes are reported.
In Donetsk, one civilian was killed and seven others injured in drone strikes throughout the day. Eleven residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, buses, a tram, and several cars were damaged.
In Luhansk, at the time of writing, no new official casualty figures from the September 16 attacks had been released. The consequences of specific incidents that occurred overnight are still being assessed.
Mutual fighting is ongoing along the Lyman line. Clashes are ongoing near Kolodyazi, Ivanivka, and Shandryholove, as well as along the Ri dkodub– Nove line. Ukrainian units continue counteroffensive operations in the northern sector.
Druzhkivka district , the main fighting is taking place near Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka and its flanks. Fighting is reported along the Osykovo – Oleksijevo-Druzhkivka line, on the approaches to Kurtivka, and near Bezimyane, Klynove, and Molocharka.
Fighting continues in the Dobropillya sector. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported improved tactical positions and attacks against Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) units near Dobropillya , Hulive, Bilozers’ke, and Novovodyane. Continued pressure is reported on the southern and southwestern approaches to the city .
Zaporizhia front , activity continues in the Orichiv sector. The Ukrainian side reports operations by small Russian assault groups and infiltration attempts in the areas near Mali Shcherbaky Stepovoe. Fighting is also ongoing on the approaches to Orichiv; Russian forces are attempting to clear the way for the assault groups.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
