Speaking at Ukraine’s Crimean Platform summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Zelenskyy said the war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year and that Ukraine has been pressing for cease‑fires covering attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
He noted that Egypt, India and Turkey have outlined options to restore safe navigation for merchant vessels, a sector that has been reduced to a near‑standstill after heavy attacks on ships and port facilities by both Ukrainian and Russian forces.
Ukraine fears that Russia will intensify missile and drone strikes on power and heating facilities this winter, a scenario that could exacerbate shortages in regions that rely on Black Sea grain shipments. Top wheat importers across Asia, West Asia and Africa are already struggling to secure supplies, and global wheat prices have surged.
The day before his UN remarks, Zelenskyy met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington and said the two leaders discussed a cease‑fire on energy‑related targets. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said both sides had expressed interest in a limited cease‑fire covering grain and energy after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Russia, however, has offered no public indication that it is prepared to agree to a maritime or energy truce, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are currently no prerequisites for broader peace talks, though Moscow remains “open to peace talks.”
Zelenskyy added that he would be ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a trilateral summit with President Trump, should Russia indicate willingness to move forward.