Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump will meet in person in New York after agreeing to do so during a phone call. The Ukrainian president described the conversation as potentially shifting the direction of diplomatic efforts to end hostilities, a move officially confirmed by the Presidency of Ukraine yesterday.

According to Zelenskyy, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues and agreed to continue their talks in person in New York. Kyiv plans to make the peace process a priority during the meeting with the American president.

The meeting is being organized as part of the UN General Assembly, which will see leaders and diplomatic delegations from dozens of countries attending in New York. The Ukrainian side has already outlined specific expectations for the outcome of the talks. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that the dialogue between Zelenskyy and Trump could pave the way for halting strikes against energy infrastructure, as well as achieving a separate maritime truce in the Black Sea. Ukraine is ready to discuss such a scheme, provided a functional bilateral mechanism is established.

The contact is a result of intensified American diplomatic activity between Kyiv and Moscow. On September 7, Trump's special envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, after previously maintaining contact with the Russian side. The Presidency of Ukraine reported that during these talks, topics such as security guarantees, the territorial issue, national reconstruction, and various options for resuming negotiations were discussed. Zelenskyy noted that the most difficult territorial disputes require decisions at the level of heads of state.

Following his conversation with Trump, Zelenskyy explained that the Ukrainian side is cooperating with the American team on ideas related to de-escalation, food and energy security, as well as the protection of the civilian population. The President of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the recent visit of Witkoff and Kushner to Kyiv, noting that it allowed the American representatives to witness the actual situation in the country firsthand.

Peace contacts involving the USA, Ukraine, and Russia throughout 2026 have gone through many different formats and rounds, but so far, they have not led to a final political agreement.