Ukraine and US working on Zelensky–Trump meeting at UN General Assembly
Ukraine and the US are working to arrange a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi confirmed on 16 September. Ukrainian officials have said the meeting could yield progress on energy and maritime ceasefires, alongside broader talks on peace, weapons and food security.
Key points
- MFA spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi said on 16 September that Ukrainian and US teams are working on arranging a Zelensky–Trump meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.
- The 81st UN General Assembly session began on 8 September; the high-level general debate is scheduled for 22–28 September.
- Tykhyi said both teams are working to make the possible meeting "as substantive as possible."
- Tykhyi said dozens of other bilateral meetings are planned for Zelensky, including contacts with US Congress members, business circles and the Ukrainian community.
- Topics under discussion include ways to end the war and the possible restoration of a trilateral negotiation format involving the two leaders.
- In his evening address on 16 September, Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing US meetings covering peace negotiations, energy, food security and weapons, with new support packages expected including air defense.
- Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said an energy and maritime ceasefire could be a key outcome of the meeting, adding Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire but currently sees no signs of readiness from Russia.
Why it matters
The meeting would mark a direct Zelensky–Trump encounter at presidential level, with the potential to shape the trajectory of US engagement in the war. Ukrainian officials have publicly tied a possible outcome to energy and maritime ceasefires, which would carry direct operational and humanitarian consequences. It also coincides with the broader UN General Assembly, where Ukraine is pursuing dozens of additional bilateral engagements.
What happened
On 16 September, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi told a briefing that Ukrainian and US teams are working on arranging a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. He said both teams are working to make the possible encounter "as substantive as possible" and noted that dozens of additional bilateral meetings are planned for the Ukrainian president, including with US Congress members, business circles and the Ukrainian community. Among the topics under discussion, Tykhyi cited ways to end the war and the possible restoration of a trilateral negotiation format involving the two leaders. In his evening address the same day, Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing US meetings covering peace negotiations, energy, food security and weapons, with new support packages expected including air defense. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer, said an energy ceasefire and a ceasefire in the Black Sea could be a key outcome of the New York meeting, and that Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire but currently sees no signs of readiness from Russia. On 8 September, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry had already confirmed a preliminary agreement on a Zelensky–Trump meeting, naming the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York as a possible venue. Ukraine's delegation also plans to sign six bilateral documents during the New York visit.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language outlets center Tykhyi's briefing as the trigger for the day's news cycle and emphasize that the Ukrainian team is driving the diplomatic agenda around the meeting. They foreground Zelensky's framing of the US trip around peace talks, energy, food security and weapons, and note expected announcements of new support packages including air defense. They also give prominent coverage to Sybiha's statements about an energy and maritime ceasefire as a potential main outcome, highlighting Ukraine's stated readiness and skepticism about Russia's readiness.
How international sources describe it
The two English-language agency reports from Azerbaijan-based outlets summarize Tykhyi's briefing in a more neutral, wire-service style, focusing on the procedural fact that teams are working on the meeting and the planned bilateral track on the margins of UNGA. They give less prominence to Sybiha's ceasefire framing and to Zelensky's evening-address material than the Ukrainian-language coverage does.
Where reporting differs
Sources cite slightly different formulations of the 81st UN General Assembly's main theme: 'Restoring trust, managing transformations: the United Nations working for all'; 'Restoring trust and reimagining solidarity: the UN at 80'; 'Restoring trust and reimagining the UN: working for the benefit of all'; 'Restoring trust and transforming governance: the UN working for all'; and 'Restoring trust and driving transformation: the United Nations for all'.
Background
The 81st UN General Assembly session began on 8 September, with the high-level general debate scheduled for 22–28 September. Earlier in September, Zelensky said Ukraine planned to use September and October to revive the diplomatic process on ending the war. On 8 September, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed a preliminary agreement on a Zelensky–Trump meeting, with the UN General Assembly opening in New York named as one possible venue. Ukraine's delegation plans to sign six bilateral documents during the New York visit.