NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (L) and US President Donald Trump shake hands during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters in New York City on September 22, 2026. As world leaders gather in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, this year’s global issues range from the threat of artificial intelligence to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on US President Donald Trump to hold three-way talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying world leaders needed to act “as soon as possible” to end the war.
Zelenskiy met with President Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday.
The high-stakes meeting provided Ukraine’s president with a rare sit-down opportunity to discuss ways to stop a full-scale Russian invasion, further U.S. air defense support, and Kiev’s security.
Zelensky said obtaining a winter package for the Patriot missile and a license for domestic production of the weapon are two priorities for Ukraine in the coming months.
“President Trump, our team, and I talked about how to end the war. This is the priority. We are ready. We don’t know if Russia is ready as of today, but anyway, we talked about an energy ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said throughout the night via social media, providing a summary of his comments to reporters at the U.N. General Assembly.
Ukraine’s president confirmed Kiev’s readiness to agree to an energy ceasefire on the condition that Russia does not attack the country’s energy, electricity, heating infrastructure and water supply.
President Trump previously called on Ukraine to stop targeting Russian oil refineries with drone strikes, but said the attacks were “damaging the world” as U.S. diesel prices have soared to record highs due to fuel supply disruptions caused by the Ukraine and Iran wars.
President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday that Russia “unfortunately lost control of its diesel oil industry” due to the war.
“I think the most important action that President Trump can take is to organize a tripartite meeting where the leaders can raise all the sensitive issues and end the war,” Zelenskiy said.
Asked whether his remarks meant he was ready to meet directly with Putin and Trump to end the war, Zelensky replied: “We are ready. I said so. We are ready whenever all sides are ready. I think we all need to act as soon as possible.”
CNBC has reached out to the White House press secretary and the Russian embassy in London for comment and is awaiting a response.
Zelenskyy: “Mr. Xi has influence over President Putin”
In his meeting with President Zelensky, President Trump told reporters that he had discussed with the Ukrainian side about finding a solution to end the Russia war. In his address to the UNGA delegation, he also referred to the diplomatic push to end the conflict.
“We will get it done,” President Trump said.
Negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff traveled to Ukraine for the first time earlier this month to meet with Zelensky, but diplomatic talks have stalled as the United States shifts its focus to the war against Iran.
Ukraine, which has stepped up attacks on Russian oil facilities and logistics infrastructure in recent months, also asked President Trump on Wednesday to discuss ways to end the war with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Ukrainian firefighters work in a destroyed warehouse after a Russian drone attack in the Kiev region on September 22, 2026, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Tetiana Dzhafarova | AFP | Getty Images
“I said very frankly to the president that if he also engages with President Xi, I think he has influence over President Putin. It’s not just about the message. If we want to end this war, we all have to work for this, for the people, 24/7,” Zelenskiy said.
Ukraine has maintained that Russian energy facilities are legitimate military targets as it continues to resist Russian forces that invaded the country in early 2022. Russia’s Ministry of Defense has announced that it is planning a “large-scale attack” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, reinforcing fears of a winter attack.
