Trump addresses Putin before speaking at the UN General Assembly

US President Donald Trump, upon arrival at the UN headquarters in New York, addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin with a call to end the war against Ukraine.

When journalists asked the American president what message he would like to convey to Putin, Trump briefly replied: “Settle the war.” The exchange took place on Tuesday, September 22, before the US president's speech at the UN General Assembly. The message was also published by Clash Report.

Trump arrived in New York to participate in the general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly. They take place from September 22 to 28, with speeches by heads of state and government beginning on September 22. Among the central themes of the current UN week are the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, international security, and artificial intelligence.

Trump's brief remark was not accompanied by any new conditions for a possible settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The American president has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that Washington continues to seek a cessation of hostilities, but the negotiation process has not yet led to an agreement between the parties.

While in New York, Trump is also expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president arrived at the General Assembly and plans to discuss with the American side further diplomatic pressure on Russia and issues of military support for Ukraine.

Trump previously said that the Russian-Ukrainian war proved to be much more difficult to settle than he expected. In early September, he stated that he wanted the war to end and considered it possible to hold a new meeting with Putin when the parties move closer to a peace agreement.

Based on: Clash Report, The Guardian, UN