Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday (Tuesday) that he discussed with his American counterpart Donald Trump efforts aimed at ending the more than four-year-old war with Russia, including the possibility of reaching a bilateral ceasefire agreement that includes energy-related goals.
Speaking to the media after a 40-minute meeting with Trump at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, Zelensky said that Kiev was ready for any form of ceasefire in the energy sector with Moscow, but he made clear that there was no discussion about Ukraine stopping its unilateral attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump - whose approval ratings fell to a record low, amid rising gasoline prices ahead of the midterm congressional elections in November - expressed his concern about the severe damage to Russian oil refineries that were subjected to intense attacks by Ukrainian drones.
Zelensky reiterated his readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in a tripartite meeting that includes Trump, adding that he hopes the United States will find a way to bring Moscow back to the negotiating table, after the collapse of the talks earlier this year. But he said he saw no indication that Putin was willing to negotiate.
Zelensky said: “I am ready for a tripartite meeting.” This means that I agree to end the war.” Before their meeting, Trump told reporters that he would discuss with Zelensky the Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries.
“It's a big blow to the Russians, but it's also a big blow to diesel prices,” Trump said. Pointing out that he will hold talks with Zelensky in order to find solutions to end the war that began with a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“I think it will happen,” Trump said.
Trump announced last week that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target energy facilities, but any semblance of a truce faded when Moscow bombed gas stations in Kiev the next day, and Ukraine bombed a Russian oil refinery.
The Ukrainian president said that Russia intends to launch a major attack again on his country, in statements published yesterday (Tuesday).
Zelensky wrote on the Telegram application, speaking about his meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, that Ukraine is in constant contact with its allies to obtain new air defense systems.
Zelensky said: “There is now intelligence information indicating that Russia is preparing to launch a new large-scale attack on Ukraine.”
He added that it is in no way possible to talk about easing the sanctions imposed on Russia “at a time when Ukrainians live daily under the threat of missile attacks and drone attacks.”
Russian forces have long launched large-scale night attacks using drones and missiles, but they have changed their methods over the past weeks, launching a continuous barrage of attacks throughout the day.
Over the past months, Moscow has also deployed drones powered by jet engines, which can fly at higher altitudes and evade air defenses, which has led to the disruption of commercial businesses, government services, and daily life on a much greater scale than before, during the war that has been going on for 4 and a half years.
