Zelensky to meet Trump at U.N. as U.S.–Russia tensions escalate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will meet with President Donald Trump this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

(CNN)- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will meet with President Donald Trump this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, as tensions rise between the United States and Russia.

The planned talks follow a series of Russian provocations, including fighter jets entering Estonian airspace on Friday and drones spotted over Poland and Romania earlier this month. At a memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump pledged to defend NATO allies in the Baltic states and Poland if necessary.

“There’s no restraint on Putin right now,” said David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Analysts warn that escalating incursions could push the alliance closer to a crisis.

Zelensky, who has long argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine, is expected to press Trump for a stronger stance. “I think he’ll be able to make that even more forcefully and to push for a clear position from Trump on getting tough on Russia,” said Clare Sebastian, correspondent for CNN International.

Article Five of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one member nation is considered an attack on all, but its invocation requires the involvement of the United Nations Security Council. Today, the Security Council is holding an emergency meeting at Estonia’s request.

“Tensions are running very high,” Sebastian added. “NATO and the European allies [are] grappling with the very real risk, as these attacks escalate, of this conflict spreading.”