On September 22 in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his American counterpart Donald Trump is scheduled. According to informed sources, the talks are expected to take place in the second half of the day or in the evening, Kyiv time. The Ukrainian side previously confirmed preparations for the contact at the highest level, noting that its outcomes could significantly influence the further diplomatic track.
Energy De-escalation as a Priority
The central item on the agenda, according to a RBC-Ukraine source, will be energy de-escalation. "We do not expect breakthroughs for now, but the main focus is on energy de-escalation," the publication's interlocutor emphasized in response to a question about expectations from the meeting. In American and Ukrainian media, this format is being discussed in the context of the so-called "energy truce" — an agreement on mutually ceasing strikes on energy infrastructure.
Strikes on Refineries as a Subject of Negotiation
The context for such discussion was set by Zelensky himself: in response to Trump's public statement, the Ukrainian president declared that Kyiv is ready to cease strikes on Russian oil refineries if the Kremlin takes corresponding steps toward de-escalation. Thus, the energy issue comes to the forefront not as an abstract initiative, but as a concrete package of mutual concessions that the parties intend to work out at the bilateral meeting.
Prospects for Negotiations with Moscow
In addition to the energy track, Zelensky publicly allowed for personal talks with the Russian leader, emphasizing that the key factor should be a concrete result of such a meeting. At the same time, he noted that the very prospect of such negotiations does not evoke positive emotions in him and that it is "certainly not the best day of my life." These statements make clear that the diplomatic track remains for Kyiv a tool for seeking results, not an end in itself.
Differing Assessments of Expectations
It is worth honestly noting the discrepancy in the tone of assessments: some observers and Ukrainian officials emphasize that "the meeting could change a lot" and is capable of influencing the diplomatic track, while the RBC-Ukraine source directly speaks of an absence of expectations for "breakthroughs." The difference lies not in the facts about the date and location, but in the depth of the expected outcome: from a symbolic contact to substantive agreements on energy. This is precisely why analysts advise evaluating the results of the meeting based on concrete agreements, not rhetoric.
The outcomes of the Zelensky–Trump meeting, scheduled for September 22 in New York, will become a key indicator of whether the parties can translate the rhetoric of an "energy truce" into concrete mutual obligations and how this will reflect on the broader diplomatic track around the conflict.
