Trump, Mamdani to meet in New York on Monday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that he and US President Donald Trump have agreed to meet in New York for talks that could significantly impact resolving the ongoing war with Russia. The meeting is scheduled to take place during their appearance at the UN General Assembly in the coming week. Zelensky expressed optimism about the potential for diplomatic progress, stating that the meeting could bring about major changes.

He credited recent US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for their visit to Kyiv this month, emphasizing that the peace track is the top priority for Ukraine. The discussions are expected to cover various critical issues, including de-escalation steps and addressing fundamental security concerns such as energy, food, and protecting human life.

Zelensky also thanked Trump for signing into law the Russian sanctions bill championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham. Efforts are underway to revive direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, with Russia indicating that talks might resume in October. The suspended negotiations, which had reached a deadlock last winter and were paused during the Iran war, are now being revisited with US mediation.

Witkoff and Kushner, who have experience in mediation efforts in the Middle East, are leading the charge to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Zelensky has urged the United States to provide additional air defense missiles to enhance Ukraine's defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks. Both nations have accused each other of lacking genuine interest in ending the fighting, with Ukraine, backed by Western military aid, striving to regain territory occupied by Russian forces.