Trump pushes for Ukraine-Russia deal before winter; Zelenskyy says Putin shows no intent to end war
After a September 22 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump said on September 26 he expects Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin to "make a deal before the difficult winter." In an evening address the same day, Zelenskyy countered that Putin is not planning to end the war and keeps finding excuses to avoid meetings and a trilateral format.
Key points
- On September 22, Zelenskyy and Trump met on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York.
- On September 26, Trump said Zelenskyy and Putin could "make a deal before the difficult winter" and that he wants both leaders to agree.
- Trump said he has "talked a lot" with Zelenskyy and that both Zelenskyy and Putin are "moving along," but did not specify what kind of deal he is hoping for.
- On September 26, Zelenskyy said Putin is not planning to end the war this winter and constantly finds new pretexts to avoid meetings, a trilateral format, and talks about ending the war.
- Zelenskyy announced intensified diplomatic work in the coming days and through October, including pressure mechanisms such as the Lindsey Graham law.
- On September 25, Bloomberg reported that Trump proposed to Zelenskyy during the New York meeting that he hold negotiations with Putin in Moscow; Zelenskyy rejected and was upset by the proposal, while the Office of the President of Ukraine denied that Trump made such a proposal.
- Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said on September 27 that Ukraine must be prepared for the war to continue through winter.
Why it matters
The competing public signals from Washington and Kyiv are shaping expectations about whether the war can end before winter and what kind of settlement is realistic. Trump's optimism about a pre-winter deal and Zelenskyy's flat assessment of Putin's continued refusal to engage underline a real divergence between the US and Ukrainian readings of Russian intentions. The alleged — and denied — Moscow venue proposal has become a flashpoint that complicates the public narrative around negotiations.
What happened
On September 22, Zelenskyy and Trump met on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York. After that meeting, Trump said he expected a deal between Russia and Ukraine but declined to disclose details, and added that Putin is "ready to meet." Zelenskyy said after the meeting that Ukraine is ready for any format of energy ceasefire with Russia on the condition of reciprocity, and that the US did not ask Ukraine to unilaterally stop strikes on Russia.
On September 26, Trump said Zelenskyy and Putin could "make a deal before the difficult winter," that he wants Zelenskyy to make a deal with Putin and Putin to make a deal with Zelenskyy, and that both sides are "moving along." Trump did not specify what kind of deal he is hoping for. The same day, Zelenskyy said in an evening address that Putin is not planning to end the war this winter and is constantly finding new pretexts to avoid meetings, a trilateral format, and talks about ending the war. Zelenskyy said the US shares Ukraine's assessment of Russia's unwillingness to end the war, and announced intensified diplomatic work in the coming days and through October, including activating the Lindsey Graham law and other pressure mechanisms.
On September 25, Bloomberg reported that during the September 22 meeting Trump had proposed that Zelenskyy hold negotiations with Putin in Moscow, and that Zelenskyy rejected and was upset by the proposal; the Office of the President of Ukraine denied that Trump made such a proposal. On September 27, Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said Ukraine must prepare for the war to continue through winter while still hoping for a positive outcome.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language reporting puts Zelenskyy's September 26 evening address front and center: that Putin is not preparing to end the war and keeps avoiding meetings and a trilateral format. Ukrainian outlets highlight that Zelenskyy said the US shares Ukraine's assessment of Russian unwillingness, and announce an intensified push in October around the Lindsey Graham law and other pressure mechanisms. They also quote Budanov's realist line that Ukraine must prepare for the war to continue through winter, alongside Trump's pre-winter hopes. The Office of the President is cited explicitly denying the Bloomberg report about a Trump proposal to negotiate in Moscow.
How international sources describe it
International outlets frame the day primarily through Trump's optimistic line — that Zelenskyy and Putin are "moving along," that both "want a settlement," and that a deal could be reached before a harsh winter — without specifying what kind of deal is meant. International coverage also notes Putin's claim that proposals on resuming talks remain on the table while emphasizing his allegations of Ukrainian "provocative attacks" and his denial of any intent to target Europe. The Qatari outlet links the negotiation track to Zelenskyy's claim that the US has approved Ukrainian manufacture of Patriot missiles.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on whether Trump proposed that Zelenskyy hold negotiations with Putin in Moscow during the September 22 New York meeting. Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that Trump made such a proposal and that Zelenskyy rejected and was upset by it. The Office of the President of Ukraine denied that Trump made such a proposal.
Background
Zelenskyy and Trump met on September 22 on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York. After the meeting, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready for any format of energy ceasefire with Russia on condition of reciprocity and that the US did not ask Ukraine to unilaterally halt strikes on Russia. Zelenskyy also said the United States assesses Russia's lack of readiness to end the war similarly to Ukraine, and announced intensified diplomatic work in October, including activating the Lindsey Graham law and other pressure mechanisms on Russia.