Zelensky Meets Trump at UN, Proposes Reciprocal Energy Ceasefire; Discusses Patriot Interceptor Licensing

President Zelensky held closed-door talks with President Trump for roughly 40 minutes on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. Zelensky said Ukraine is 'ready for energy ceasefire' in 'any kind of format,' proposing a reciprocal halt to strikes on energy infrastructure contingent on Russia agreeing to the same terms, and said Ukraine has received no unilateral order to stop its own strikes. The two leaders also discussed licensing Patriot interceptor production inside Ukraine; Zelensky said Trump did not reject the request, calling it 'a good step that nobody said no,' though he noted domestic production could take one to one-and-a-half years to establish and no concrete winter delivery commitments were announced. Trump said of a broader deal, 'I think we're gonna make a deal, and I don't want to say what the deal is.' Zelensky separately met UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in New York the same day to discuss air defenses, winter preparations, and continued sanctions pressure on Moscow.