Putin likely to skip U.S. G20 where Zelenskyy offered to meet him — Bloomberg

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with former U.S. president Donald Trump at the United Nations on September 22 to discuss proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine and a path towards ending Russia's invasion. The meeting took place amid hundreds of world leaders and diplomats gathered for the UN General Assembly. Trump stated that the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine is strong, and he believes a deal is possible, though he declined to disclose details.

Trump also characterized Ukraine's deep strike campaign against Russian oil refineries as a "serious hit" against the Russians and claimed it has negatively impacted the price of diesel fuel. The U.S. is considering a ban on diesel exports in response to the shortage, largely driven by the war in Ukraine. Zelensky had previously pledged to bring concrete security proposals and de-escalation measures to the table.

The meeting marks the first between the two leaders since July, reflecting renewed efforts by Washington to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been ongoing for over four and a half years. Zelensky emphasized the need for strong de-escalation steps, warning that Ukraine's energy sector and food exports cannot be targeted by Russia, as the aggressor will also suffer.

Trump had previously linked Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries to rising global diesel prices, a claim disputed by experts, and called for an end to the fighting.