Trump and Zelensky meet in New York, discuss energy truce

September 23, 2026 at 10:57 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in New York on September 22. Zelensky said he is ready for an energy truce with Russia, provided both sides comply. Trump said both Putin and Zelensky want to end the conflict.

Key Facts

Trump and Zelensky met in New York on September 22, with closed-door talks lasting 40 minutes.
Zelensky said he hopes to end the war with Russia before winter.
Trump said he is not sure whether Putin would accept a meeting in Miami during the G20 summit in December.
Trump criticized Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying they raised global diesel prices.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Trump's special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and Kyiv in August.

The New York Meeting

Trump and Zelensky met in New York on September 22, with closed-door talks lasting 40 minutes. Before the meeting, the two presidents answered journalists' questions about an energy truce, U.S. sanctions on Russia, and possible trilateral talks. Zelensky said he hopes to end the war with Russia before winter. Trump said both Putin and Zelensky want to end the conflict, but declined to describe the terms of a potential deal.

Energy Truce and Sanctions

Zelensky said he is ready for an energy truce with Russia, provided both sides comply. Trump said he did not ask for a unilateral energy truce. Trump criticized Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying they raised global diesel prices. The U.S. president had previously asked Zelensky twice to stop attacks on Russian oil facilities.

Mediation Efforts

After Trump's re-election, the U.S. became a mediator in talks between Russia and Ukraine. The process stalled in early 2026 amid the U.S. war against Iran, but Washington resumed mediation efforts in August. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Trump's special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and then met with Zelensky in Kyiv. The parties are discussing a mutual halt to strikes on energy facilities, but no concrete agreement has been reached.