Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants President Donald Trump to play matchmaker. Not for anything romantic, mind you, but for a three-way sit-down with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could speed up the end of the war.
Zelenskyy made the pitch during a conversation with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, laying out Ukraine's priorities for the coming months. The wish list includes a winter package of Patriot missiles and licenses for domestic production of those weapons.
The Ukrainian president took to X to describe the meeting about ending the war. "This is the priority," he wrote.
He also signaled Ukraine's willingness to agree to an "energy ceasefire," provided Russia stops attacking Ukraine's energy, electricity, heating infrastructure, and water supplies.
And he didn't stop at Putin. Zelenskyy encouraged Trump to engage Chinese President Xi Jinping to explore potential solutions to the conflict. "He has influence on Putin. If we want to end this war, not just in messages, we all have to work 24/7 for this, for the people," he wrote on X.
Zelenskyy Open To Direct Talks With Putin
Asked whether he'd be willing to meet directly with Putin and Trump, Zelenskyy didn't hesitate. He said he's ready "anytime when all the sides will be ready," according to CNBC. "I think we all need to move as quickly as possible," he added.
Trump, for his part, projected confidence that the conflict can be resolved. "We will get that one done," he said.
The Kremlin, however, isn't exactly rushing to the table. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would be premature and a "waste of time" until expert-level discussions have taken place, according to RIA Novosti.
Trump Urges Restraint as Zelenskyy Defends Oil Strikes
Earlier this month, Trump urged Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries, arguing the strikes were contributing to global diesel shortages and higher prices. Trump said Ukraine could target other legitimate sites but should steer clear of diesel-related infrastructure as U.S. diesel prices soared to record highs. Russia, meanwhile, had already suspended diesel exports through the end of September.
Zelenskyy, though, defended the strikes. He said Ukrainian long-range missiles had a "significant" impact in the Moscow region, hitting a major Russian oil facility and a logistics site. The attacks, he said, targeted assets worth billions of dollars that help fund Russia's war effort.
Meanwhile, Putin said there's a chance of reaching a peace agreement to end the Ukraine war, noting that the U.S. and China are willing to support a settlement. He said Russia-Ukraine contacts continue mainly through intelligence channels but questioned their effectiveness.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.
