Zelenskyy says Trump did not demand unilateral energy strike halt
07:34, 23/09/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 08:05, 23/09/2026, Wednesday
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyyUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Washington did not demand Kyiv unilaterally halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure during their New York talks, adding that Ukraine would accept an energy truce only if Moscow reciprocates.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump did not demand a unilateral halt to Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure during their talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, stating that Kyiv would accept a reciprocal energy ceasefire only if Moscow stops attacking civilian utilities.
Conditions for energy truce
"We are ready for an energy ceasefire if the Russians do not strike our energy infrastructure," Zelenskyy told reporters at the 81st UN General Assembly session. He specified that any truce must shield electricity, heating, and water supply systems from attack, noting that Russian forces must halt strikes against these basic necessities for civilians to benefit.
Patriot missile requests
The Ukrainian leader outlined two critical defense requests to Washington in preparation for winter negotiations — a seasonal shipment of Patriot interceptors and production licenses to manufacture the systems domestically. "We asked Trump to help us act quickly. He views the issue of licenses positively," Zelenskyy said, estimating that domestic production could begin within one to one-and-a-half years.
On immediate deliveries, Zelenskyy acknowledged receiving no definitive response from US officials. "No one said 'no,' but I did not receive a particularly specific answer," he stated, reminding journalists that Kyiv had signed a contract with Berlin for 600 Patriot missiles to be delivered in two batches.
Diplomatic channels
Zelenskyy urged Trump to engage Chinese President Xi Jinping during their planned Wednesday meeting, emphasizing that Beijing wields direct leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president suggested Washington could organize a trilateral summit to address core disputes, noting that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would convey Kyiv’s energy proposal to Moscow ahead of Wednesday's talks between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.