Trump urged Zelenskyy to travel to Moscow for talks
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Volodymyr Zelenskyy travel to Moscow for a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin. According to Bloomberg, the Ukrainian side rejected the proposal, and Zelenskyy publicly responded that he would travel to the Russian capital “on a rocket.”
During the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in New York, they also discussed a possible truce on energy issues, a new round of negotiations, and strengthening Ukraine’s air defense ahead of winter.
U.S. President Donald Trump proposed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he hold a face-to-face meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Bloomberg reported this, citing people familiar with the negotiations. The proposal came amid Washington’s attempts to restart the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia. Trump and Zelenskyy met in New York during the UN General Assembly, where they discussed possible steps to end the war.
The idea of a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin in Moscow specifically drew a sharp reaction from the Ukrainian side. Zelenskyy himself, when asked by reporters when he might visit the Russian capital, replied, “On a rocket,” followed by an emotional exclamation. He had already given this response earlier, when Putin publicly proposed holding talks in Moscow.
At the same time, the U.S. is trying to push for another option for negotiations. According to Zelenskyy, Washington proposed holding a meeting at the technical level first and suggested the United Arab Emirates as a possible venue. Ukraine is awaiting a specific date from the American side. This refers to potential talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. Kyiv has stated its readiness to discuss various formats but advocates for meetings in a neutral location, not in Moscow.
The U.S. Seeks a Ceasefire on Energy Issues
Another topic of the talks was a possible cessation of attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia. Washington is trying to negotiate a mutual cessation of such attacks. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to agree to this if Russia does the same. According to him, the U.S. side also links this issue to the situation on the global energy market and rising fuel prices.
Separately, the U.S. is proposing to resume operations of the Black Sea grain corridor. Washington is also trying to arrange further talks between Kyiv and Moscow. However, there is no full agreement on an energy truce yet. Ukraine has declared its readiness for such a step, while questions remain regarding Russia’s position.
What About the Patriot
During the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, they also discussed Ukraine’s defense against Russian missiles and drones ahead of winter. One of the key issues is additional missiles for the Patriot systems. Ukraine is asking the U.S. to provide more interceptors, but American stockpiles are currently limited. This is due, in particular, to the needs of the U.S. and other partners amid the war in the Middle East.
Separately, the parties are discussing the possibility of manufacturing missiles for the Patriot system in Ukraine. Back in July, Donald Trump stated his readiness to grant Kyiv the necessary license, but Washington later clarified that no final decision had been made yet. As of September 23–24, negotiations regarding the license were still ongoing. According to Zelenskyy, if an agreement is reached, it could take approximately one year to 18 months to launch production. Therefore, domestic production alone will not be able to quickly meet Ukraine’s need for missiles this winter. That is why Kyiv continues to ask Washington for additional ready-to-use missiles and other air defense systems.
Putin Invited to the G20 Summit
Trump’s new proposal for negotiations also came after the U.S. invited Putin to the G20 summit, scheduled to take place in December in Florida. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the Russian president had been invited to attend the meeting. According to the U.S. side, the summit could provide an opportunity for Putin to engage with other world leaders.
The Kremlin stated that no final decision has yet been made regarding Putin’s participation. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the invitation had been received and is being considered. Thus, Washington is currently pursuing several tracks simultaneously—a possible truce on energy issues, new technical negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and meetings at the leadership level. At the same time, there are no concrete agreements yet on ending the war, according to Bloomberg.
Ukraine has reached specific agreements regarding the acquisition of licenses to manufacture missiles for the Patriot air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on September 25, adding that Donald Trump had made a final decision regarding the license.
