Trump addresses UN assembly, signs Greenland base pact and reveals Iran talks

Diplomatic engagements at the United Nations

US President Donald Trump held a series of bilateral meetings during the 81st UN General Assembly debate in New York on 22 September 2026. Trump met French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Venezuelan official Delcy Rodríguez. During the gathering, Trump concluded a defense agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland allowing the United States to construct two large military bases. The pact prohibits foreign adversaries of the US from establishing any military presence or making sensitive investments in Greenland without prior approval from Washington. In his address to the general debate, Trump stated that the American economy and military were stronger than ever, noting reductions in urban violent crime rates and domestic poverty forecasts for 2025.

Secret contacts and public warnings on Iran

From the General Assembly rostrum, Trump stated that Iran would never acquire a nuclear weapon, asserting that all 159 vessels of the Iranian navy had been destroyed and domestic inflation in Iran exceeded 300%. Following sharp remarks in which Trump questioned whether to annihilate the Islamic Republic, Iranian delegates walked out of the hall. Trump subsequently confirmed that US emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a three-hour meeting in New York with Iranian representatives, with further talks scheduled. The Iranian delegation in New York included President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while Iranian officials cited by Reuters expressed readiness to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington lifts its military pressure and port blockade.

Are we going to make a deal with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a much greater country than it ever was, or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic quickly, without ever giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries? Should I send them to hell?

Trump maintained that any formal agreement with Tehran would occur after the US midterm elections on 3 November 2026, stating that Iranian negotiators were waiting for the election outcome. A CNN survey published before the speech showed public support for his Iran policy at 26%, down from 33% recorded in March at the start of the war.

Ukrainian energy moratorium and defense cooperation

In their bilateral session, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a mutual halt to strikes targeting national energy systems. Zelensky stated that Ukraine would cease drone and missile attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow suspended strikes against the Ukrainian electrical and heating grid. Trump agreed to transmit the proposal to Russian officials. Zelensky also requested US licenses allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles locally before winter. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted earlier in September that licensing negotiations were progressing, though production would require years to establish. Zelensky reiterated his readiness for a three-way summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, proposing the December G20 summit in Miami following Trump's August 2025 meeting with Putin in Alaska.

I am ready at any moment, as long as all parties are prepared. We are ready if they do not attack our energy system, our electricity and heating system.

Market reaction and Latin American friction

Commodity markets reacted to diplomatic contacts in New York, with Brent crude futures for November delivery falling 1.09% on the Intercontinental Exchange to close at $99.25 per barrel, down from $100.34 the previous day. Bilateral talks also addressed recent US congressional legislation granting presidential authority to impose tariffs on countries funding the Russian military through oil purchases. Diplomatic frictions extended beyond Middle Eastern delegations, as the Cuban delegation walked out of the assembly hall after Trump described Cuba as a failed state whose communist administration would collapse.