Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to Vitaly Portnikov, this meeting was more ritualistic than result-oriented, as both leaders had their own interests. For Zelensky, it was important to show that the United States continues to support Ukraine, while Trump sought to demonstrate diplomatic effort and maintain dialogue with both Ukraine and Russia. However, during months of Trump’s presidency, there has been no breakthrough in ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and Trump’s actions have often been used by Russian leadership to perpetuate the conflict.
Military support, especially the Patriot air defense systems, was a central topic. Despite Trump’s promises, there is no concrete information about significant deliveries. Media reports indicate that the Pentagon is blocking Patriot exports, citing US strategic interests, limiting Ukraine’s access to much-needed air defense.
Portnikov also highlights the uncertainty of diplomatic initiatives: there are no signs of preparation for a trilateral summit between the US, Russia, and Ukraine or a bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Putin. The idea of such a summit remains only a statement from Trump. The lack of firm commitments from the US is another challenge — Trump may revoke previously made decisions if he sees them as harmful to his ratings or unworkable.
Overall, Portnikov assesses the US-Ukraine interaction in terms of war cessation and military support as complex: ritual diplomacy and lack of confidence in real change remain defining characteristics at this stage.
