Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska and his diplomatic team, has arrived in New York for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. According to him, around twenty bilateral meetings are expected during the visit, including talks with European leaders and other heads of state. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine's top priority this week is bringing peace closer and protecting people, and noted that a new Drone Deal has already been prepared for signature.

Meeting with Trump: time and format

The key event of the day was the anticipated meeting between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to the published schedule of the US President, the talks will begin at 13:15 local New York time, which corresponds to 20:15 Kyiv time, and will last one hour. On the same day, Trump has a packed schedule of numerous other meetings and events, so the meeting with the Ukrainian leader has been placed in the evening block by Kyiv time.

Drone Deal and Kyiv's priorities

Particular attention is being paid to the preparation of the new Drone Deal, which Zelensky described as a document ready for signature. This initiative, along with other topics of the day, reflects Kyiv's course toward practical agreements on defense and security. At the same time, the President of Ukraine consistently emphasizes that all negotiations are subordinate to a single goal — the swiftest possible approach to peace and the protection of citizens.

Context: an energy ceasefire after Macron's talks with Trump

A few hours before the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Trump. The two sides discussed the topic of an energy ceasefire, and, according to the French leader, he will raise this issue during his conversation with Zelensky as well. Thus, the agenda on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly combines defense, energy, and diplomatic tracks, and the meeting between Zelensky and Trump becomes the central event of this day.