Donald Trump once again stated that he expects a decision to end the war in Ukraine and admitted the possibility of a new personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
His remarks came in New York, where the American president participated in the sessions of the UN General Assembly and held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Against this background, Washington and Kiev are also discussing the possibility of Ukraine producing American Patriot missile defense systems on its territory.
Trump: A solution will be found
After his meeting with Zelensky, Trump said that he believes in reaching an agreement to end the war.
“I think we will reach a deal“, said the American president, adding that he did not want to reveal in advance what the parameters of the possible agreement would be.
Trump indicated that Washington continues to talk with both Kiev and Moscow. According to him, there are reasons to expect developments on the issue of ending the war.
The American president did not present a new specific plan for resolving the conflict, nor did he announce an agreement reached between Russia and Ukraine.
This is an important clarification, as the diplomatic positions of the two countries continue to diverge on a number of key issues, including territories, security guarantees, and future relations between Ukraine and NATO.
A new meeting with Putin remains possible
Trump did not rule out a new personal meeting with Vladimir Putin.
In early September, the American president said that he could organize a new meeting with the Russian leader, but he prefers it to take place when there is a real prospect of concluding a peace agreement.
“I want to do it when we are ready for a peace deal“, Trump said then. He added that he believes the war will eventually end.
Trump's approach suggests that a possible new meeting with Putin should be part of a broader diplomatic process, not just another meeting without a concrete result.
However, no date has been announced for a new meeting between the two presidents yet.
Washington and Kiev discuss Patriot production
In parallel with the diplomatic talks, Trump confirmed that the US and Ukraine are discussing the possibility of producing American Patriot systems.
The topic is particularly important for Kiev, as Ukraine's air defenses are under constant pressure from Russian missile and drone attacks.
Back in July, Trump announced that Washington would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptors. The US president then said that the system was a defensive weapon and that Kiev had long been demanding the ability to produce such missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently said that a political agreement on licenses for the production of PAC-3 interceptors had been reached between the two countries.
Patriot as part of broader US-Ukrainian cooperation
The production of Patriot in Ukraine would represent a significant change in the way Kiev receives US anti-missile equipment.
Instead of relying entirely on ready-made systems and missiles supplied from the US and its allies, Ukraine could gradually build up its own production capacity.
This would also have implications for the long-term sustainability of Ukraine's air defense.
Zelensky has already told US senators in New York that the US Patriots remain key to protecting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. He said Washington and Kiev should work together to increase Ukraine's ability to protect its population from ballistic missiles.
War continues while peace is being discussed
Trump's upbeat assessment comes amid ongoing Russian and Ukrainian strikes.
Just hours before Trump and Zelensky met, Russian forces launched missile and drone strikes on several Ukrainian regions, killing at least five people, according to Ukrainian authorities. In parallel, Kiev announced new strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Thus, diplomatic signals of a possible breakthrough go hand in hand with the ongoing military escalation.
Zelensky proposed an end to Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure on condition that Moscow stops attacks on Ukrainian energy, critical infrastructure and food exports.
What the British Prime Minister says
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also arrived in New York with an emphasis on the war in Ukraine and his upcoming first personal meeting with Trump.
Before the meeting, Burnham said he expected to find "common ground" with the US president. He stressed that he would push for a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine and for greater international coordination.
Even before his visit, Burnham had identified support for Ukrainian air defense as one of his priorities. Reuters reported that the British prime minister will push for additional aid to Ukraine, including US Patriot systems.
This puts London in a close position with Washington and Kiev on the need for Ukraine to strengthen its air defenses even as talks are underway to end the war.
Sources: Reuters, BTA