Zelensky Seeks Meetings With Trump, European Leaders to Revive Stalled Peace Efforts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he hopes to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders next week to push forward efforts to end the three-year war with Russia, amid mounting frustration over Moscow’s lack of engagement.

The announcement came after Russia launched a massive missile and drone assault on Ukraine that killed at least 23 people, including four children, prompting an emergency UN Security Council meeting where the U.S. warned Moscow to move toward peace talks or face new sanctions.

Trump has signaled growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s delays on U.S.-backed proposals for direct talks with Zelensky, saying he will decide on “next steps” within weeks if negotiations don’t begin. “Putin talks nice and then he bombs everybody,” Trump said earlier this month, while also cautioning Ukraine over its strikes.

Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak met Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in New York on Friday to coordinate preparations. Yermak said the priority was “real diplomacy” and implementing agreements reached at the recent Washington summit, but lamented Russia’s refusal to engage.

Kyiv has accepted a U.S.-proposed ceasefire and a Zelensky-Putin meeting, but Moscow has resisted, insisting on more groundwork at the “expert level” before a summit. Zelensky dismissed this as a stalling tactic, saying leaders “must urgently be involved to reach agreements.”

Alongside diplomacy, Zelensky urged tougher sanctions on Russia and stronger security guarantees for Ukraine, including sustained access to Western weapons. His remarks came as Ukraine observed a day of mourning for victims of the overnight strikes, one of the deadliest barrages on Kyiv in months.

Peace efforts will continue on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, set to begin September 22, where Russia’s war in Ukraine is expected to dominate discussions. Putin is scheduled to attend a separate summit in China alongside Iran and North Korea, both accused by the U.S. of aiding Moscow’s war effort.