‘God Willing, There Will Be a Result’: Zelensky Expects Trump Meeting in September

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expects to meet US President Donald Trump in the second half of September, where he plans to press Washington for support for Ukraine’s new missile program and supplies of US ballistic missiles. “I expect to meet with Trump in the second half of September. To raise this issue. And God willing, there will be a result,” Zelensky told journalists, including Kyiv Post, on Tuesday, Sept. 8.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Zelensky said Ukraine is developing its “Freya” missile program and hopes the US will support the initiative. He said Kyiv expects to achieve its desired results with European partners but needs US ballistic missile packages to advance the program. The meeting could take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Zelensky has proposed holding a new round of talks involving the United States in late September. The expected meeting comes amid an intensification of US diplomacy aimed at reviving peace talks. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled from Moscow to Kyiv over the weekend, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before holding talks with Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday. Witkoff described the discussions with Putin as constructive and said Washington had heard “new ideas” from Moscow, while Kushner referred to a broader “peace package.” Zelensky called his talks with the US envoys “very substantial” and said Kyiv was ready to move toward trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the US and Russia. National security advisers from Britain, France and Germany also joined part of the Kyiv discussions. Other Topics of Interest 175 Targets Down, But Ballistic Missiles Still Get Through Russian drones returned over Kyiv hours before Moscow’s declared pause was due to end, as US envoys pursued peace talks. Zelensky also said Kyiv and Washington are working toward a trilateral negotiating format. “We agreed with the American side: let’s prepare all this among ourselves first, and then communicate it publicly,” he said. The US is also reportedly examining the possibility of a winter de-escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine alongside renewed negotiations on a broader peace agreement. Ideas under discussion reportedly include measures involving energy infrastructure, grain supplies, and oil and gas exports. Envoys say Russia willing to talk The US delegation visiting Kyiv on Sunday reportedly conveyed to Zelensky that Moscow is prepared to engage in negotiations, even as Russia increases its aggression against Ukraine, casting heavy doubt on that possibility. Regardless, the meetings appear to have moved forward, as demonstrated by all three sides on Monday. Witkoff confirmed “substantive progress” had been made, “including movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks.” Zelensky echoed the development by saying that Ukraine was planning its “next steps” following three rounds of negotiations in Kyiv; and – though offering no timeline for the meetings – the Kremlin said that Moscow did not rule out resuming the trilateral format. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.