EditZelenskyy and Trump explore narrow energy truce
Ukrainian president pairs ceasefire offer with urgent demands for Patriot licenses and winter defences during New York talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met U.S. President Donald Trump in New York on 22 September on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and immediately afterward outlined a concrete proposal for a mutual energy truce, framing it as a potential first step toward ending Russia’s full-scale war.
Speaking at a press conference, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy targets if Moscow ceases strikes on Ukraine’s power plants, heating facilities, and water-supply systems.
“Don’t attack ours, and we’ll leave yours alone,” he declared, stressing that the arrangement could take any format and that no one at the meeting had asked Kyiv to halt its operations unilaterally.
The United States undertook to convey the proposal to Moscow. Zelenskyy said he does not yet know Russia’s response and remains uncertain whether the Kremlin is ready for such a step.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure and repeated Ukrainian strikes that have disrupted Russian refining capacity. Trump himself acknowledged that those Ukrainian operations have inflicted a heavy blow on Russia and on diesel prices, noting that his administration is examining a temporary ban on U.S. diesel exports to cushion the market impact.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated a decision would come quickly. Zelenskyy presented the energy ceasefire as requiring no territorial concessions from Russia and as a confidence-building measure that could open the door to wider negotiations. He reiterated his long-standing readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “at any time” and suggested that Trump could organise a trilateral summit. In Zelenskyy’s view, Putin is not prepared for such a meeting because he has no genuine intention of ending the war. Whoever refuses dialogue, the Ukrainian president argued, signals an unwillingness to stop the fighting. Trump struck a more cautious note, saying he believes the two sides will eventually reach an agreement and that Putin wants the war to end, while praising Ukrainian leadership and capability.
Defence readiness and missile production ambitions
Zelenskyy also used the New York talks to press for immediate and longer-term military support in the event that diplomacy fails to produce a settlement before winter. He requested a “winter package” of Patriot interceptor missiles, noting that stocks are already stretched for both Ukraine and the United States, and asked for licenses that would allow Ukraine to manufacture the missiles on its own territory. Raytheon, the primary manufacturer, has expressed readiness to cooperate, and Trump responded positively to the licensing request. Zelenskyy estimated that production could begin within a year to a year and a half. Ukraine has already signed a contract with Germany for 600 Patriot missiles to be delivered in two batches during 2027 and 2028; Kyiv has offered to draw on that German allocation as a form of repayment if Washington supplies missiles now. Trump, when asked directly about manufacturing authorization, limited himself to saying discussions are ongoing.
Last August Trump shifted from a high-profile public commitment to let Ukraine manufacture its own Patriot interceptor missiles to a firm retreat.
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Beyond Patriot systems, Zelenskyy discussed ways to close Ukraine’s defence-funding gap. He met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva to explore unused resources under the European Union’s SAFE program. Under existing drone-related agreements, Ukraine could share battlefield technology and expertise with European partners in exchange for directing SAFE funds toward Ukrainian needs. Negotiating teams from Kyiv and Brussels are scheduled to meet within seven to ten days. The IMF, Zelenskyy reported after his conversation with Georgieva, will help Ukraine secure part of the financing required to maintain financial stability in 2027. The parties also reviewed legislation Ukraine has pledged to its partners; some measures have already passed the Verkhovna Rada, and the remainder are expected by the end of 2026. Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko earlier presented a draft 2027 budget in which security and defense spending reaches 4.885 trillion hryvnias (approximately 95.18 billion euros), or 43.8 percent of GDP—an 11.9 percent increase over the revised 2026 plan.
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Diplomatic pressure and regional risks
Zelenskyy told Trump that involving Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whom Trump was scheduled to meet on 24 September, could alter the dynamics because of his influence over Putin. Both leaders pointed to pending U.S. legislation sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham that would authorize severe sanctions as a tool of pressure. Trump described the bill as “very severe, very tough, very strong” and indicated he intended to raise the issue with Xi.
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On European sanctions, Zelenskyy noted the difficulty of maintaining unanimity after the European Union lifted measures against Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
The Ukrainian president also warned that Russia, facing battlefield setbacks, may attempt to fracture Western unity through provocations against neighboring states. He cited recent drone sightings over Moldova and Romania and airspace violations involving Poland, Germany, and Nordic countries, arguing that the risk of further drone, missile, or even ground actions against countries bordering Russia or Belarus remains high. The only effective response, he insisted, is consistent pushback: failure to respond invites further escalation. Overnight Russian drone strikes on Kyiv that damaged a gas station and caused casualties, together with repeated attacks on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia, underscored the continuing intensity of the campaign against civilian and economic targets.
Throughout the conversations, Zelenskyy emphasized that time is no longer on Putin’s side. He continues to offer mutual restraint on energy infrastructure while preparing for the possibility that peace will not arrive before winter.
Sources: This article draws on reporting by EUalive’s partner media Suspilne and Reuters
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Caption: A handout photo made available by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service shows Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and US President Donald Trump (R) shaking hands during a meeting in New York, New York, USA, 22 September 2026, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). EPA/UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE
Updated: September 23, 2026 - 10:45
