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U.S. President Donald Trump has once again suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travel to Moscow for direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the proposal outright, Bloomberg reported.
According to the publication, the United States sought to revive peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Trump encouraged Zelenskyy to meet Putin in Moscow, prompting an angry reaction from the Ukrainian side. When journalists asked Zelenskyy when he would visit the Russian capital, he reportedly replied, "On a missile," accompanied by an emotional exclamation.
The U.S. administration also pushed for a ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure, amid rising global diesel prices. Neither Ukraine nor Russia agreed to the proposal.
Zelenskyy said potential technical peace talks could take place in the United Arab Emirates, although Washington has not yet proposed a specific date.
The discussions also addressed strengthening Ukraine's air defenses ahead of the winter season.
The United States agreed to grant Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missiles, with manufacturing not expected to begin for at least another year. However, Trump has yet to make a final decision on direct deliveries of air defense systems this winter, citing shortages in the U.S. weapons stockpile.
"Missile production is an important step, but it will not address the urgent need to protect critical infrastructure this winter," sources told the publication.
Trump's initiative comes amid reports that the United States has invited Putin to attend the G20 summit in Florida in December, a move that has drawn criticism from European allies.
Diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations
The United States has been working for some time to develop a plan to restart negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Washington has taken a cautious view of the prospects for a diplomatic settlement but has described September meetings between the delegations as substantive.
The U.S. administration has also expressed plans to organize further talks with Russia following consultations with Ukrainian representatives.
The main objective of the diplomatic contacts is to explore ways to halt hostilities and discuss potential venues for future negotiations.
