Zelensky Says He Will Meet With Trump In NYC Next Week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Saturday that he will meet with President Donald Trump in New York next week during the United Nations General Assembly, as he seeks critical U.S. security commitments in the wake of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.
According to Ukrainian outlet Ukrinform, Zelensky is looking to secure post-war security guarantees from the United States — guarantees he sees as vital for any future peace deal.
The meeting would mark a high-stakes diplomatic engagement between Trump and Zelensky, whose wartime leadership has been praised internationally, but who now faces mounting pressure to produce a durable framework for peace amid stalled counteroffensives and shifting global priorities.
In a statement released by his office Saturday, Zelensky said:
“We expect sanctions if there is no meeting between the leaders or, for example, no ceasefire. We are ready for a meeting with Putin. I have spoken about this. Both bilateral and trilateral. He is not ready.”
Trump, who has previously pledged to end the war in Ukraine “within 24 hours” if re-elected, has made clear he believes any settlement will require face-to-face diplomacy and a shift in U.S. military posture. His administration has repeatedly signaled that unlimited weapons packages to Ukraine are no longer on the table — a departure from Biden-era policy.
In preparation for the New York summit, Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak held a call Saturday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the details of what Kyiv hopes will be a breakthrough.
“We discussed preparations for security guarantees for Ukraine, as well as expanding cooperation in military, defense, and economic areas,” Yermak wrote on X.
Trump and Rubio are expected to continue leading post-Biden diplomatic efforts at the UN General Assembly, which convenes Tuesday for its 80th session.
Zelensky also revealed that a humanitarian meeting is likely to occur between First Lady Melania Trump and Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, with a focus on children affected by the war.
“There will be, very likely, a meeting between the first ladies of Ukraine and the United States on the humanitarian issue relating to children,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Friday.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to issue preconditions for negotiations and rejects direct talks, Trump and Zelensky appear poised to accelerate a joint plan that could reshape Europe’s security landscape — if the meeting goes forward as expected. (RELATED: Russia Unleashes Massive Drone and Missile Assault on Ukraine, Dozens Dead and Injured)