Ukraine's Zelenskiy says he and Trump agree to meet in New York

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands during their meeting at the sidelines of the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Sept 20 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he had spoken with US President Donald Trump and the two agreed to meet in New York for talks that "could change a lot" in terms of finding a resolution to the 4-1/2-year-old war with Russia.

The two leaders will be in New York in the coming week for the UN General Assembly.

"We agreed to meet in New York, and this meeting could change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum," Zelenskiy wrote on the X social media platform.

Zelenskiy said he thanked Trump for this month's visit to Kyiv by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

"The peace track is our number-one priority," he said.

"There are ideas for de-escalation steps and for addressing fundamental security issues – energy security, food security, and the protection of human life," he said.

"We are working together with the American team and are ready to take really serious steps."

Zelenskiy again thanked Trump for signing into law the Russian sanctions bill championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham. REUTERS