Zelensky: U.S. Pushing Three Steps to Restart Diplomacy With Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing forward three concrete steps aimed at easing tensions and restoring diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia.

According to Zelensky, the U.S.-backed proposals include a mutual ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure, the reopening of the grain corridor in the Black Sea, and the holding of a trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine and Russia.

Zelensky made the remarks in an interview with Axios, after meeting Donald Trump in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to the Ukrainian president, the proposal for a reciprocal halt to strikes on energy infrastructure came from the American side, and Kyiv is ready to accept it.

“Right now on the table is a proposal: a ceasefire on energy infrastructure. We are ready,” Zelensky said.

He stressed that such an agreement would have to include a halt to strikes by both sides on energy facilities, in an effort to lower tensions and create ground for further diplomatic steps.

The second step concerns the reopening of the grain corridor in the Black Sea, through which Ukraine has exported agricultural products. Zelensky said Ukraine supports the return of this corridor and that contacts on the matter have also been held with Turkey, India, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

The third step is holding a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia. According to Zelensky, one of the venues under consideration for the meeting is Abu Dhabi, while Washington has also floated the idea of first holding talks between technical teams, before a leaders-level meeting.

Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to take part in talks regardless of venue or format.

“We are open to any venue, any format,” the Ukrainian president said.

He added that during the meeting with Trump he had asked that a trilateral meeting be held with the aim of having a ceasefire on energy infrastructure among its first concrete results. Zelensky also said the G20 summit in Miami in December could serve as another opportunity for a high-level meeting.

However, there is still no final agreement between the parties. Zelensky has expressed doubts about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in such a process, while the Kremlin has stated that the conditions for resuming high-level talks with Ukraine have not currently been created.

The meeting between Zelensky and Trump took place on September 22 in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, as American diplomatic efforts to bring Ukraine and Russia back to the negotiating table continue in recent days.