Zelenskyy and Trump agree to meet in New York during UN General Assembly

Why it matters

The call formalises a renewed direct channel between Kyiv and Washington at a moment when the meeting had not previously been confirmed, and it sets up a face-to-face encounter against the backdrop of the UN General Assembly, the principal annual multilateral gathering of world leaders. Zelenskyy's language — peace track as "priority number one" and readiness to take "really serious steps" — signals an attempt to keep US-mediated negotiations moving after months of on-and-off talks. The agenda Zelenskyy laid out (de-escalation on energy, food and civilian protection, antiballistic defence, and a possible maritime/energy ceasefire) goes beyond symbolism and identifies the substantive items Ukraine wants on the table. The exchange over the Lindsey Graham law also shows Kyiv publicly reinforcing its appreciation of US sanctions pressure on Russia as a parallel track to diplomacy.

What happened

On the evening of 20 September 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy announced the call on Telegram and other social media. During the conversation the two leaders agreed to meet in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, whose high-level week runs from 22 to 28 September. Zelenskyy said the New York meeting can change a lot and pointed to diplomatic momentum.

Zelenskyy used the call to thank Trump for the 6 September visit to Kyiv of US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, noting that substantive details had been discussed and that the envoys had seen the situation in Ukraine. He also thanked Trump for signing the Lindsey Graham law, which provides for new sanctions against Russia. On substance, Zelenskyy said there are ideas on de-escalation steps and on fundamental security issues — energy, food, and the protection of people's lives — and said Ukraine is ready to take "really serious steps" working with the American team. He declared the peace track to be priority number one.

Where reporting differs

Sources differ on the exact timing of the New York meeting. Article 28174 places it on 21–22 September, while article 28175 gives a window of 21–23 September; a German-language article (28222) reports that Zelenskyy did not name an exact date when he spoke publicly. As of 19 September, two Ukrainian officials cited by Suspilne said the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly had not yet been confirmed, even though Zelenskyy's 20 September announcement presented the meeting as agreed.

Background

The UN General Assembly session in New York is scheduled to run from 22 to 28 September, which sets the wider frame for the planned Zelenskyy–Trump meeting. The previous in-person meeting between the two presidents took place at the White House on 28 July, when they agreed to intensify the negotiation process. Earlier in September, US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Moscow and then visited Kyiv on 6 September; Zelenskyy said "substantive details" were discussed and that the envoys saw the situation in Ukraine. On 10 September Zelenskyy ruled out a trilateral Ukraine–US–Russia meeting before Russian parliamentary elections scheduled for 20 September, and on 12 September the head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, suggested a new trilateral round could be held in October; the same day Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was ready for talks but did not intend to halt combat operations during them. Zelenskyy has previously floated a reciprocal arrangement in which Ukraine would not strike Russian energy infrastructure if Russia stops attacking the Ukrainian power system, and Trump said recently that Ukraine had agreed not to strike Russian energy facilities and that Russia had agreed to reciprocate. Zelenskyy had earlier said he hoped to meet Trump in the 20s of September, naming antiballistic defence of Ukraine as a topic.