U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to travel to Moscow for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the discussion. Ukrainian officials have since disputed the account.
The reported proposal came as the United States seeks to revive direct peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia after months of intensified fighting. Bloomberg reported that Zelensky rejected the suggestion and was frustrated that Trump raised the idea again after Kyiv had repeatedly opposed traveling to Moscow for talks with Putin.
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky took place in New York on September 22 during the annual UN General Assembly, where Ukraine’s leader sought continued U.S. support for diplomatic efforts and military assistance. Reuters reported ahead of the meeting that Zelensky hoped discussions with Trump could advance negotiations over an energy truce and broader peace initiatives.
According to Bloomberg, Trump argued that a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin could help break the diplomatic deadlock over ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has repeatedly said Putin would only meet Zelensky in Moscow under its preferred conditions, a position Russian officials have reiterated in recent weeks.
Sources cited by Bloomberg said Zelensky firmly rejected the proposal. When asked by Russian reporters after the meeting whether he would travel to Moscow, Zelensky reportedly replied, “On a missile,” before expressing his anger with a profanity, reflecting Kyiv’s longstanding refusal to negotiate on Russia’s terms.
However, Ukraine’s Presidential Office later denied Bloomberg’s report, saying Trump did not ask Zelensky to travel to Moscow. Officials told journalists that the two leaders discussed the possibility of future trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia, but not a meeting in Moscow. The White House did not immediately comment on Bloomberg’s report.
Despite rejecting the Moscow proposal, Zelensky has publicly said Ukraine is open to various formats for peace negotiations, including trilateral talks involving Trump and Putin, provided Russia halts attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and other civilian targets. Reuters reported that Kyiv continues to coordinate with U.S. diplomats on proposals aimed at reducing attacks on critical infrastructure while broader peace efforts continue.
The reported disagreement highlights continuing differences between Washington and Kyiv over the format and conditions of future negotiations. While Trump has repeatedly said he wants to restart peace talks quickly, Ukraine insists any negotiations must protect its sovereignty and cannot be held under conditions dictated by Moscow.
