Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
| Photo Credit: AP
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told leaders at the United Nations on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) that Ukraine was ready for a maritime truce in the Black Sea based on proposals by Egypt, India and Turkey, and said it was now up to Russia to respond.
Mr. Zelenskyy spoke at Ukraine’s Crimean Platform summit on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly gathering of world leaders and ahead of a Security Council meeting on Russia’s war in Ukraine, which is now in its fifth year.
Ukraine, which fears that Russia plans to pound power and heating facilities with missiles and drones this winter, has been pressing for ceasefires covering attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping in the Black Sea.
Mr. Zelenskyy said Egypt, India and Turkey had outlined options to restore safe navigation for merchant shipping in the Black Sea, where cargo movements are at a near standstill due to heavy attacks on ships and port infrastructure by both sides.
“We are waiting for Russia’s response. Ukraine is ready … to ensure safe shipping and food security in the Black Sea if Russia is ready to take real steps towards de-escalation too. We have to start somewhere,” he said.
Top wheat importers in Asia, West Asia and Africa that count on the Black Sea region for wheat have been finding it hard to secure supplies. Global wheat prices have soared.
Mr. Zelenskyy, who was expected to address the UN General Assembly later on Wednesday (September 23, 2026), met U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) and said they had also discussed a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire on energy-related targets.
Russia, Ukraine have voiced interest in ‘limited ceasefire’: Rubio
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) that both Russia and Ukraine had expressed interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy.
“I think both sides have expressed an interest in some limited ceasefire that involve grain and energy. Obviously, you know, that won’t be easy either,” Mr. Rubio told reporters.
Russia has given no public indication it is ready to agree a maritime or energy truce with Ukraine and it was not immediately clear if Mr. Rubio was suggesting there had been movement on the Russian side after his talks with Mr. Lavrov.
Ahead of the Lavrov-Rubio meeting, the Kremlin said there were no grounds for wider Ukraine peace talks, while saying it remained open to such talks. “For now, there are no prerequisites for moving on to a peaceful negotiating track, although we, as the Russian side, remain open to peace talks,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Mr. Zelenskyy said on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) that he would be ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a trilateral meeting with Mr. Trump.
Published – September 23, 2026 10:02 pm IST
