Zelensky Offers Energy Truce as Trump Signals Support for Patriot Production in Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready for a reciprocal energy ceasefire should Russia halt its strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure, while separately confirming that Washington signaled openness for granting Ukraine the license to domestically produce Patriot missile interceptors. Following a 40-minute meeting with US President Donald Trump at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday, Zelensky said Ukraine is ready for “any kind of format” regarding the energy truce.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Washington reportedly agreed to formally convey the message to Moscow. “Both the United States and Ukraine want this senseless Russian war to end before winter,” Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram. “We discussed possible de-escalation steps that could open the way for diplomacy,” he continued. According to Zelensky, Trump expressed openness to helping Ukraine secure the licenses it needs to begin the domestic production of Patriot interceptor missiles. Raytheon is prepared to participate in the initiative, he said, but authorization will be required before a project can begin. “Raytheon is ready. We asked the president to help us to move quick. He is positive with licenses,” Zelensky said according to Clash Reports. The project will take at least one to one and a half years. “In any way, it’s for the future,” he concluded. Other Topics of Interest Trump Says Putin Is Willing to Meet as Diplomatic Momentum Continues Trump said Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine amid talks with Zelensky at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday. Trump first floated the idea of granting Ukraine the license during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey on July 7-8. “I’ve got a little bird telling me that we’re going to give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to make them,” he said, before retreating from the commitment he made later during the same month. “We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it, but it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology,” Trump said, arguing that Washington must be “very careful” when sharing advanced US weapons technology. The announcement came as Ukraine continues preparing for its fifth year of war. Over the past few months, Kyiv has increasingly appealed to allies for Patriot interceptor missiles, as they are currently the only weapons capable of deterring Russian ballistic frequently used in sweeping attacks on Ukraine nationwide. In the statement released following the talks, Zelensky said Ukrainian and American teams would continue work toward producing Patriots in Ukraine. He said the capability would help protect lives if Russia rejects negotiations. The two leaders also discussed a winter air-defense package, alongside wider bilateral and multilateral issues. Zelensky rejects theKremlin’s justifications Zelensky expressed hope for Trump to organize a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the meeting could allow the leaders to address the most difficult issues directly in an effort to end the war. “I’m ready to meet with Putin, anytime,” Zelensky said. His diplomatic stance remains long-standing; it’s Putin who consistently rejects direct meetings. On June 4, Zelensky issued an open letter to Putin, demanding a direct meeting on a neutral ground, with security guarantees to end the war. Unsurprisingly, Putin rejected and mocked the proposal, arguing it “would be pointless.” Earlier Tuesday, Trump urged Putin to end the war against Ukraine and said he was prepared to use newly granted legislative powers to impose tariffs of up to 100% on Russian energy buyers. Trump also said Putin was willing to meet and wanted the war to end, though he did not confirm where the meeting could possibly take place. Additionally, Zelensky dismissed Moscow’s “historical” arguments for continuing the war, saying they could not justify Russia’s invasion or substitute for a serious settlement effort. “When people talk about ending the war and they talk about historical reasons, it’s bullshit, really, he said. “If you want to solve the problem, you solve it,” he continued. He argued that Putin had failed to secure a decisive battlefield outcome and now faced pressure to justify the costs of the invasion at home. “He doesn’t respect anybody,” Zelensky said, adding that Putin is “afraid of only his nation.” Zelensky also questioned how Moscow could justify maintaining an estimated force of one million personnel in Ukraine while suffering heavy monthly losses without clear victories. 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.