Trump at the UN: the speech, Iran and an important conversation with Zelensky
22 September 2026 US President Donald Trump will take the podium at the UN General Assembly in New York. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war with Iran, pressure on oil markets, growing fears surrounding artificial intelligence and questions about the future of the UN itself, whose funding Washington has cut, will take the podium.
But today's agenda is not limited to the big speech. After the address, Trump will hold a series of bilateral meetings, and one of the most anticipated is with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The sides have confirmed that the meeting will take place today, on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Zelensky has said previously that the conversation "could change a great deal," and stressed the presence of a "diplomatic impulse."
On the table are possible steps toward de-escalation: a pause in strikes on energy infrastructure, the safety of shipping and humanitarian issues. For Kyiv, this is a chance to lock in at least some concrete agreements. For Trump, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that his approach to the Ukrainian conflict is producing results.
In parallel, the US president will meet with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Japan, Venezuela and the Persian Gulf states. All of this is happening at a moment when the war in Iran continues to affect the global economy, and questions of regulating artificial intelligence are being raised at such a high level for the first time.
Today in New York promises to be intense. Trump's speech will set the tone, and the meeting with Zelensky could become one of the most closely watched episodes of the entire week of high-level negotiations.
