Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to meet in New York during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, as diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine continue.
Zelensky said he spoke with Trump by phone and described the conversation as important, saying there was growing diplomatic momentum around efforts to find a resolution to the more than four-year-old war. He did not specify a date for the meeting.
“We agreed to meet in New York, and this meeting could change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum,” Zelensky said in a statement.
The Ukrainian president also thanked Trump for the recent visit to Kyiv by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to Zelensky, their discussions addressed key issues related to the war and the prospects for a diplomatic settlement.
Zelensky said that achieving peace remains Ukraine’s top priority and that discussions with the U.S. team include possible de-escalation measures and fundamental security issues, including energy and food security and the protection of civilians.
The planned meeting comes as Washington continues efforts to facilitate negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The latest contacts have included meetings by U.S. envoys with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and with Zelensky in Kyiv.
Zelensky also welcomed Trump’s signing of new legislation imposing additional sanctions on Russia. Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law on September 18, expanding economic pressure on Russia’s energy and defense sectors and providing for additional tariffs targeting countries that continue significant trade with Moscow.
Both leaders are expected to be in New York this week for the UN General Assembly, where the planned meeting could provide another opportunity for discussions on the war and possible diplomatic steps toward ending the conflict.
