Zelensky, Macron Discuss Energy Moratorium Ahead of Trump Meeting

President Volodymyr Zelensky met French President Emmanuel Macron in New York late Monday, Sept. 21. The meeting came hours after Macron met US President Donald Trump at Trump Tower, where he pushed for faster defensive weapons for Ukraine and discussed a possible moratorium on energy strikes.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The French president described the Trump talks as “very constructive” and said they discussed Ukraine and the Red Sea in detail. After meeting Trump, Macron outlined joint efforts on energy security. “We will pool our efforts to secure a moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure and against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure,” he wrote on X. “Civilian populations must be protected, and we must initiate as soon as possible a serious negotiation on the conditions for peace between Russia and Ukraine.” Energy moratorium in focus Kyiv has made clear that any de-escalation must be reciprocal. Zelensky has proposed that Russia stop attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, critical infrastructure and food supply chains, with Ukraine taking corresponding steps in return. The Ukrainian leader has stressed that any arrangement must be reliable and long-term rather than provide Moscow with temporary relief from strikes on its oil infrastructure. The issue is expected to feature prominently when Zelensky meets Trump on Tuesday. Around 20 meetings in New York Zelensky arrived in New York with First Lady Olena Zelenska and Ukraine’s diplomatic team for the 81st UN General Assembly. Other Topics of Interest Macron, Trump Discuss Interceptors for Ukraine and Energy Truce The French president said he and Trump also explored a possible mutual halt to energy-related strikes between Ukraine and Russia. Around 20 meetings are planned with Trump, European leaders, bipartisan US lawmakers from both the Senate and the House, major American companies and think tanks. Ukraine will also hold the sixth International Crimea Platform Summit. Zelensky is due to address the General Assembly and take part in a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday. Trump takes the UN stage first The UN General Debate begins Tuesday, with Trump expected to address the General Assembly. For Kyiv, attention will then shift to Zelensky’s bilateral meeting with the US president. Following a weekend call, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that Kyiv is ready to take serious security steps while protecting human life and the country’s sovereignty. “We agreed to meet in New York, and this meeting could change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum,” Zelensky wrote on social media Sunday. 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.