Zelenskyy and Trump to meet in New York to advance Ukraine peace push

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to meet US President Donald Trump in New York during the upcoming UN General Assembly session, following a phone call focused on advancing peace efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelenskyy called the conversation important and said the meeting could "change a lot." Zelenskyy said the talks could help resolve the more than four-year-old conflict, thanking Trump for a recent US envoy visit to Kyiv by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He called peace Kyiv's "number one priority," citing discussions on de-escalation steps and security issues like energy, food, and human life protection. The planned meeting follows Trump signing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on September 18, expanding sanctions on Russia's energy, defence, and financial sectors, plus tariffs on oil buyers. Zelenskyy urged swift implementation of the law to honour the late Senator Graham's advocacy for pressure on Russia