Zelenskyy Plans Late-September US Talks on Food and Energy Security

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expects to meet a United States delegation again before the end of September, with food and energy security at the top of the agenda. The discussions, he indicated, may take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, placing Ukraine’s war-time export routes and battered infrastructure back at the centre of diplomacy watched closely in London and across Europe.

Zelenskyy made the remarks to journalists on Thursday, September 11, after talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He said Kyiv wants to raise the issue of grain and agricultural exports, which Russia has begun blocking in the Black Sea, as well as the wider question of energy security as Russian forces continue strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.

For Britain and the European Union, the agenda carries a direct economic relevance. Ukraine’s food exports affect global agricultural supply chains, while attacks on energy infrastructure feed into the wider risk calculations around European power markets, shipping, insurance and currency sentiment. Sterling traders and London-listed companies exposed to commodities, energy and logistics are likely to follow any diplomatic movement closely, particularly if talks signal either a path to reduced disruption or a renewed risk of escalation.

Black Sea Exports Back on the Diplomatic Agenda

Zelenskyy said the expected meeting with the US delegation could be held during the UN General Assembly in New York. He expects the parties to discuss grain and agricultural products whose exports, according to Kyiv, Russia has started to block in the Black Sea. At the same time, he warned that Moscow may intensify attacks on Ukraine when it sees Kyiv engaging in negotiations with Western partners.

“Knowing Russia, when they hear that we are holding talks somewhere with Europeans, with Canadians, with Americans, when they hear that, they try to intensify attacks against us,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that such attacks are intended to disrupt negotiations and dialogue, but said Ukraine would continue moving in that direction because diplomacy remains, in his words, the only way to stop the war.

The Black Sea issue is especially sensitive for European policymakers and investors. Ukraine’s agricultural exports have repeatedly been tied to questions of food affordability, port access and transport corridors. Any additional disruption in the Black Sea can carry consequences beyond the region, including for European food processors, insurers, shipping firms and commodity desks operating from London.

Zelenskyy also said Kyiv is in daily contact with the American delegation to discuss energy security amid Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. That daily contact underlines the urgency of keeping power networks and critical systems functioning as Ukraine faces continued military pressure.

Energy Risk Matters for Europe and Sterling

The energy dimension is likely to be of particular interest to British and EU businesses. The source remarks did not cite specific market moves, but the issues involved are familiar to investors: damaged infrastructure, uncertain supply routes and the possibility of further attacks all increase geopolitical risk. For sterling, the main channel is not Ukraine alone but the broader impact on European growth expectations, energy costs and risk appetite.

London markets tend to price Ukraine-related developments through several linked sectors: energy, mining, agriculture, defence, shipping and financial services. A renewed US-led diplomatic track may be read as a potential stabilising factor, while warnings of intensified Russian attacks keep the risk premium alive. For British companies, the practical stakes include input costs, insurance exposure, sanctions compliance and the future shape of trade routes through Europe.

Zelenskyy separately said he does not expect serious negotiations with Moscow to begin before Russia’s State Duma elections, scheduled for September 18 to 20. It had previously been reported that Washington also hopes for a resumption of talks after the Russian election campaign.

The timing matters because diplomatic expectations are being shaped by both the UN calendar and Russia’s domestic political timetable. If talks wait until after the Duma vote, the late-September window described by Zelenskyy may become an early test of whether Washington can restart meaningful mediation between Kyiv and Moscow.

On the eve of Zelenskyy’s remarks, US President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin was ready to make an agreement to end the war with Ukraine. Referring on September 9 to a recent phone call with Putin, Trump said the conversation had been “excellent” and that the Russian president “wants an agreement.” Trump added that it would be “very good” if it turned out that Zelenskyy also wanted an agreement.

Earlier in September, Washington resumed mediation between Kyiv and Moscow in an effort to bring about the start of negotiations. After another visit to Moscow by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the Kremlin said Putin had assured Trump that Russia had no “aggressive plans” toward Europe.

For European capitals, including London, that assurance will be weighed against events on the ground: attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, pressure on Black Sea exports and the risk that any diplomatic overture is accompanied by a new phase of military escalation. Zelenskyy’s comments make clear that Kyiv sees talks with the US as necessary, but not insulated from battlefield pressure.

The coming weeks therefore present a dual test for Western policy and markets. Diplomats will look for signs that the revived US mediation can create a credible opening, while investors will assess whether food and energy risks are easing or becoming more acute. For Britain and the EU, the outcome is not only a question of foreign policy; it is tied to inflation pressures, commodity exposure, sterling sentiment and the resilience of European business confidence.