Bloomberg reported on 25/9 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a proposal made by US President Donald Trump during their meeting at the United Nations last week. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the Ukrainian leader expressed displeasure when his US counterpart reiterated the suggestion.

When asked by a reporter about traveling to Moscow, President Zelensky simply replied, "by a missile."

President Zelensky (left) met President Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting on 22/9. Photo: AP

President Zelensky (left) met President Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting on 22/9. Photo: AP

The White House has not commented on the report.

In New York, President Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate meetings with Trump administration officials. Amid surging global fuel prices, the US pressed both sides to cease attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, but neither has agreed.

Mr. Zelensky stated on 25/9 that technical-level peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are likely to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), though the US has not provided a specific timeline.

European officials noted that the US President and his team were receptive to lobbying efforts for aid to Ukraine before winter. They also assessed the meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky as largely positive.

President Trump has not yet decided whether to provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine this winter, as the US faces scarcity due to conflict with Iran. However, he approved licensing Patriot missile production to Kyiv.

Mr. Zelensky revealed that the US finalized the decision last week, though Mr. Trump did not specify when the transfer would occur. Nevertheless, it will take at least one year for the production line to become operational, meaning this solution is unlikely to address Ukraine's urgent need to protect key infrastructure from relentless Russian attacks as winter approaches.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at an international cultural forum in St. Petersburg on 25/9. Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at an international cultural forum in St. Petersburg on 25/9. Photo: AP

President Trump's idea of holding peace talks in Russia came as Foreign Minister Marco Rubio announced that the US had invited President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Florida in December.

This move drew criticism from European officials. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's (EU) high representative for foreign affairs, deemed it "very difficult to accept."

Sources close to the Kremlin suggest that Mr. Putin will likely skip the G20 summit to attend a summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.

By Vu Hoang (Bloomberg, Reuters, AFP)