Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing forward three concrete steps aimed at reducing tensions and restoring diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Zelensky, the proposals supported by the US include a mutual ceasefire in attacks on energy infrastructure, reopening the Black Sea grain corridor, and holding a trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.
Zelensky made the statements in an interview with "Axios", after meeting with Donald Trump in New York, within the framework of the proceedings of the United Nations General Assembly.
According to the Ukrainian president, the proposal for a mutual ban on attacks on energy infrastructure came from the American side and Kiev is ready to accept it.
"Currently there is a proposal on the table: a ceasefire on energy infrastructure. We are ready," Zelensky said.
He stressed that such an agreement would have to include a ban on attacks by both sides on energy facilities, in an effort to reduce tensions and pave the way for further diplomatic steps.
The second step is related to the reopening of the Black Sea grain corridor, through which Ukraine has exported agricultural products. Zelensky said that Ukraine supports the restoration of this corridor and that contacts have also been developed on this issue with Turkey, India, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
The third step is to hold a trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine and Russia. According to Zelensky, one of the places being considered for holding this meeting is Abu Dhabi, while Washington has also floated the idea of initially holding talks between technical teams, before a leaders-level meeting.
Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to participate in talks regardless of the location or format.
"We are open to any country, any format," the Ukrainian president said.
He added that during his meeting with Trump he had requested a trilateral meeting with the aim of making a ceasefire over energy infrastructure one of his first concrete results. Zelensky also said that the G20 summit in Miami in December could serve as another opportunity for a high-level meeting.
However, there is still no final agreement between the parties. Zelensky has expressed doubts about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to engage in such a process, while the Kremlin has stated that the conditions for resuming high-level talks with Ukraine are not currently created.
The meeting between Zelensky and Trump took place on September 22 in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, while American diplomatic efforts to bring Ukraine and Russia back to the negotiating table have continued in recent days.
