RismadarVoice Reporters
September 16, 2026
Diplomatic efforts are underway to arrange a meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Heorhii Tykhyi, said Ukrainian and American diplomatic teams were actively working towards organising what Kyiv hopes will be a substantive meeting between the two leaders.
Zelenskyy’s visit to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly is also expected to involve several bilateral meetings and engagements with United States lawmakers, business leaders and members of the Ukrainian community.
The proposed talks come as efforts to find a path towards ending the Russia-Ukraine war continue alongside growing concerns over civilian casualties and the conflict’s impact on global energy markets.
TRUMP, ZELENSKYY DIPLOMACY CONTINUES
Trump and Zelenskyy previously met during the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July 2026.
Their diplomatic relationship has attracted international attention since a tense televised White House encounter in 2025 involving Trump, Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance.
The possible New York meeting would provide another opportunity for the two presidents to discuss the war, diplomatic negotiations and Washington’s engagement with Kyiv.
Trump has repeatedly pushed for a negotiated solution to the conflict, while Ukraine has continued to seek international support amid Russian military operations.
RUSSIAN STRIKE KILLS FIVE IN UKRAINE
The diplomatic preparations came as Ukraine reported another deadly Russian attack.
A Russian drone strike on a bus in Nikopol, near the front line in southern Ukraine, killed at least five people and injured seven others on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Civilian casualties have increased during 2026 amid intensified attacks.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, at least 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured during the first six months of 2026.
The UN said the number represented a 37 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
WAR ADDS PRESSURE TO GLOBAL ENERGY MARKETS
The continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict is also contributing to concerns surrounding international energy supplies and diesel prices.
Trump last week called on Ukraine to stop attacks against Russian diesel infrastructure, linking the strikes to disruptions affecting global fuel supplies.
He subsequently argued that developments involving Russia and Ukraine were contributing significantly to rising diesel prices.
Zelenskyy has indicated that Ukraine could halt attacks inside Russian territory if Washington could secure a reciprocal commitment from Moscow to stop strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Such an arrangement would require agreement between the parties as broader diplomatic efforts continue to seek ways of reducing hostilities.
The anticipated Trump-Zelenskyy discussions in New York are expected to take place as world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly, with the Russia-Ukraine war and other major international security crises likely to feature prominently in diplomatic engagements.
