Zelensky on whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US election

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit Britain, France and Italy, part of a whirlwind tour of European leaders aimed at securing aid ahead of pivotal US elections next month.

Ukraine could be facing its toughest winter yet this year, as Russia launches fresh waves of strikes on the country's power grid and advances across the eastern front line.

The Ukrainian leader will seek to secure as much financial and military backing as possible during the tour, as the prospect of a Donald Trump victory in November's crunch US presidential election throws support from the US into doubt.

Mr Zelensky's travel-packed itinerary will see him meet the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy - all in their respective countries within the space of less than 48 hours.

According to Downing Street, the Ukrainian leader will visit UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, and also meet new NATO chief Mark Rutte there.

In the afternoon he will be in Paris for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, and is later expected to travel to Rome for talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, according to Italian media.

Mr Zelensky then has an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican on tomorrow morning, and will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on the same day, according to a German government spokeswoman.

A key meeting with international allies planned for Saturday was postponed after US President Joe Biden called off a planned European trip to focus on the threat from Hurricane Milton.

Pivotal US vote

Mr Zelensky said his country desperately needs more aid to tip the balance of the war and secure victory on the battlefield as Russia captures dozens of small towns and villages in the east.

He also wants clearance to use long-range weapons supplied by allies, including the United States, to strike military targets deep inside Russia.

Ukraine relies on billions of dollars worth of financial and military aid from the US to fight Russia's invasion, and the US presidential election in November could prove pivotal.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has promised to end the war "in 24 hours" if he is elected, a prospect Ukraine fears means being forced to make massive compromises to achieve peace.

Vice President and Democratic rival Kamala Harris has said she would not meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for peace talks if Ukraine was not also represented.

Mr Zelensky has rejected any peace plan that would involve ceding territory to Russia, arguing Russia must withdraw all its troops from inside Ukraine's borders to achieve lasting peace.

Russia claims shot down Ukrainian drone barrage

Russia's military has said that it had shot down a barrage of 92 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over the country's southwest.

Russia reports shooting down Ukrainian drones over its territory on a nearly daily basis, but usually in smaller numbers.

Ukraine claims it is carrying out the strikes, which often target energy sites, in response to Russian bombardments of its territory.

Russia's defence ministry said that 47 drones were shot down over the Krasnodar region, which lies in the country's southwest along the Black Sea.

A total of 15 drones were shot down over the Sea of Azov, 12 over the border region of Kursk and the rest over other regions bordering or near Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine has ramped up strikes targeting Russia's energy sector in recent months, aiming to dent revenues used by Russia to fund what the Kremlin calls its special military operation in Ukraine, now grinding through its third year.