Zelensky arrives in Paris as part of European tour

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Paris from London, as part of a European tour aimed at securing aid before a crucial presidential election in the United States.

The Ukrainian presidency told AFP that Mr Zelensky had arrived in the French capital, where he was to meet President Emmanuel Macron. He is also to meet Italian and German leaders on the tour.

Earlier, Mr Zelensky met new NATO secretary general Mark Rutte in London, in a trilateral meeting with host UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Mr Starmer said the trio discussed Ukraine's "plan for victory" against Russian forces.

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.

Mr Zelensky has an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican 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.