Zelensky Reveals Three Steps by Washington for De-escalation: Energy Ceasefire, Grain Corridor, and Meeting in Abu Dhabi

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with the outlet Axios, revealed the details of a diplomatic initiative put forward by the administration of US President Donald Trump as part of efforts to de-escalate the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and resume dialogue with Moscow. According to the Ukrainian leader, Washington is insisting on three urgent steps that, in his assessment, could become a real mechanism for reducing the intensity of hostilities. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing direct quotes from Zelensky.

Three Points Washington Is Insisting On

The first and, according to Zelensky, the most pressing point was the proposal for a so-called "energy ceasefire" — a joint cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure. The President of Ukraine emphasized that it was the US that put forward this initiative, and Kyiv is ready to support it. "The proposal is now on the agenda: an energy ceasefire. We are ready," Zelensky stated. The second point is Washington's desire to reopen the "grain corridor," which is to ensure the unimpeded export of Ukrainian agricultural products. The third step is holding a trilateral meeting involving representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the US.

Format and Venue of the Trilateral Talks

According to Zelensky, Washington proposed starting with a meeting at the level of technical teams rather than immediately moving to contacts at the level of heads of state. As a possible venue for the talks, the US named Abu Dhabi. The Ukrainian president reacted to this with maximum openness: "We are open to proposals — any country, any format." Thus, Kyiv is not setting rigid conditions on geography or the hierarchy of participants, which in effect removes one of the possible barriers to launching the negotiation process.

Context: Meeting on the Margins of the UN General Assembly

Zelensky's resonant interview came against the backdrop of his personal meeting with Donald Trump, which took place on September 22, 2026, on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. After the talks, the Ukrainian leader publicly named the condition under which Kyiv would agree to an energy ceasefire with Russia. Trump himself, speaking at the General Assembly podium, stated that the war in Ukraine will end "sooner than people imagine." Zelensky, in turn, expressed hope that with the mediation of the American president, the conflict could be resolved before the onset of winter.

Assessment of the Negotiation Dynamics

The totality of the statements indicates that the diplomatic track between Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow is moving from abstract declarations to concrete working mechanisms. The shift from talks at the leaders' level to meetings of technical teams may reduce the political pressure and allow the parties to work out technical details — from the routes of the grain corridor to monitoring the regime of ceasing strikes on energy facilities. The choice of Abu Dhabi as a venue is also not accidental: the UAE traditionally serves as a neutral platform for sensitive negotiations and has established channels of communication with both sides of the conflict.