US and Ukrainian Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Before the talks began, a journalist asked Trump whether he still believes that Ukraine is capable of regaining all its territories.
Trump replied that, in his opinion, the sides will reach an agreement, but he did not say what it would be. He also praised the Ukrainian military and the country’s leadership, calling them “very good fighters” and “very, very capable people, very capable leadership”.
In response to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refining facilities and diesel fuel production, the US president said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had inflicted serious damage on Russia and acknowledged the rise in diesel fuel prices. Trump also said that, in his opinion, both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky want the war to end.
Speaking to British journalists, Trump said that Britain “will be fine”, and called former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s rhetoric toward Russia too harsh. After that, the US and Ukrainian presidents continued their conversation without the press.
After the talks, Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to stop strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, provided Moscow reciprocates. He also said that Kyiv wants to obtain licenses to produce Patriot systems and is ready to begin the project after the necessary approvals, although, in his assessment, the launch will take a year or a year and a half.
In addition, Zelensky said that Trump could organize a trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine, and Russia to discuss the most difficult issues and a possible end to the war, and added that he is ready to meet with Putin at any time. Earlier that same day, Trump said at the UN General Assembly that he is ready, if necessary, to use new powers for tough sanctions and tariffs against Russia, provided for by Senator Lindsey Graham’s law.
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