DOMINANT ANGLE
The United States is setting its own conditions ahead of the United Nations summit: Trump is already demanding that Zelensky stop targeting Russian refineries, while Macron is advocating for a negotiated pause.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
According to Bloomberg, Trump is demanding that Zelenskyy stop targeting oil refineries in Russia, a source of new tensions between Washington and Kiev
- 02
Donald Trump is set to meet Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, the day of their respective speeches at the UN General Assembly
- 03
According to The Hill, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Zelensky briefly crossed paths on Monday at Shannon Airport (Ireland) while their planes were refueling en route to the United States
ANALYSIS
The United States, Tuesday, September 22, 2026. On the eve of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, the American press is not primarily focusing on the French diplomatic initiative, but rather on the long-standing tension between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky over the conduct of the war. According to Bloomberg, the Ukrainian relationship with the United States has experienced new tensions in recent days, with Trump demanding that Zelenskyy cease targeting oil refineries in Russia. This American requirement, prior to and distinct from the moratorium proposal put forward by Emmanuel Macron, sheds a different light on the New York summit: while Paris seeks to stop strikes on both sides of the front, Washington seems to want to contain those of Kiev, without a reciprocal commitment on Russian infrastructure targeting Ukraine.
The United States is set to see Donald Trump meet with Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, the same day the Ukrainian president arrived in New York for the General Assembly. The meeting comes after a revealing logistical contact: according to The Hill, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Zelensky briefly crossed paths on Monday at Shannon Airport in Ireland, while their respective planes were being refueled on the way to the United States. A source close to the meeting, who was not identified, confirmed the exchange without detailing its content or specifying whether the issue of energy strikes was discussed.
The American press pool does not mention at this stage either the Macron-Trump meeting at the Trump Tower or the initiative for a moratorium on energy infrastructure mentioned by the French. The angle retained in Washington remains that of the bilateral balance of power with Kiev: the presidential demand to cease strikes on Russian refineries, formulated even before the summit, puts Zelensky in a position where he must arbitrate between American pressure and European support. For the Ukrainian executive, the challenge on Tuesday is therefore twofold: obtaining a gesture from Trump on aid and mediation, while defending its own energy strategy against Russia, even as Paris tries to make this issue a lever for transatlantic cooperation rather than an additional point of friction. The sequence of stops and informal meetings, from Shannon to New York, outlines an American agenda that precedes and exceeds the framework proposed by French diplomacy.
