«We will end the war by winter»: Trump and Zelensky met behind closed doors in New York

One of the most intriguing political meetings watched by the entire world took place in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sat down for face-to-face negotiations. During the ten-minute open briefing organized before the start of the closed-door portion of the talks, the White House leader fully took the initiative. Expressing his hopes in this discussion, Zelensky officially stated: «I hope that we can end this war by winter and that Trump will help with this».

Trump, in turn, stated that he believes Russia and Ukraine will soon strike a major deal, but refused to disclose the details of the agreement: «I believe they will reach an agreement. I don't want to say what this agreement consists of right now. Ending the war is also beneficial for Russia. There are two alternative paths: one is very bad, and the other leads to greatness». Furthermore, Trump noted that Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil depots have affected global diesel fuel prices and that this issue will be discussed separately. Following the press-open part, the leaders' closed-door negotiations lasted for nearly 40 minutes.

So, what was agreed upon behind the scenes regarding the energy truce and security, is the «peace by winter» plan realistic, and what terms will Trump's mysterious deal impose on Ukraine?

«Deadline by winter, fuel strikes, and a 40-minute negotiation»: 5 key points of the meeting

The most important highlights from the high-level dialogue in New York:

• Zelensky's goal: The Ukrainian leader openly stated his intention to stop all armed conflicts before the onset of the winter season with Trump's support;

• Hint of a mysterious deal from Trump: The US president said a peace agreement would be concluded between the parties, but kept its details secret;

• Discussion of oil and energy: Ukraine's strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure and their impact on the global market became the main topic of discussion;

• Complete dominance at the briefing: During the open statements, Trump completely controlled the media questions and dialogue, remaining at the center of attention;

• 40-minute closed format: The heads of state discussed air defense (AD), security, and the energy truce in a 40-minute confidential meeting.

Trump and Zelensky meeting: Statements of the parties and analysis of the agenda

Comparison of the main parameters of the negotiations on the UN platform:

International politics and geopolitics expertise: How will Trump's plan work?

Conclusions of diplomatic insiders and international analysts:

• Probability of an «energy truce»: Mutual strikes may be halted; an agreement where Ukraine stops striking Russian oil refineries (refineries) in exchange for Moscow refraining from targeting Ukrainian energy grids is considered one of the most realistic scenarios;

• Time factor ahead of winter: As the winter season approaches, the stability of the energy system becomes a matter of life and death for Kyiv; Zelensky's remarks about ending the war precisely by winter are directly related to the situation at the front and resource shortages;

• Trump's «Big Deal» pressure: In accordance with his campaign promises, the White House leader is forcing both countries into sharp compromises; Trump's statement that «I won't tell the substance of the deal yet» indicates that the plan contains sensitive clauses regarding freezing territories or security guarantees;

• 40-minute swift diplomacy: Allocating 40 minutes for the closed format implies that political conditions and cessation mechanisms were discussed more rapidly than a military aid package.

This meeting in New York confirmed that the pace of military operations in Eastern Europe could change dramatically in the coming months.

In your opinion, as Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized, can the war between Russia and Ukraine really be stopped before the winter season? Do you think both parties will equally agree to the terms of the mysterious «deal» proposed by Trump? Leave your personal thoughts in the comments and share this topical analysis at the center of world politics with all your friends!