Briefing

US President Donald Trump said his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held three hours of talks with Iranian officials in New York during the UN General Debate. Iran reportedly said reopening the Strait of Hormuz would require lifting the US naval blockade, unfreezing Iranian assets and ending the regional war. Trump warned he could “annihilate the Islamic Republic” without a deal.

United StatesIrandiplomacyStrait of Hormuz

Oil prices fell Wednesday as hopes grew for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in the Middle East after Iran and the United States held talks for hours at a UN meeting.

oil pricesUnited StatesIrandiplomacy

President Donald Trump says US officials held a “very good” meeting with an Iranian delegation while he met Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in New York. At the UN General Assembly, he said Iran must choose between a deal with Washington and further military action, adding that he expects an agreement after the US midterm elections.

United StatesIrandiplomacyUnited Nations

President Trump says US officials held a “very good” meeting with the Iranian delegation at the United Nations on Tuesday.

Iran warDonald TrumpUS-Iran relationsUnited Nations

President Donald Trump adopted an optimistic tone Tuesday during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, saying a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war would be reached: “We’re going to make a deal.”

Donald TrumpVolodymyr ZelenskyyRussia-Ukraine warpeace deal

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to stop striking Russian energy facilities if Moscow halts attacks on Ukraine’s energy system. After meeting Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in New York, he said Kyiv and Washington discussed an energy ceasefire, air defences and steps towards ending the war, while warning that Russia was preparing a new massive attack.

Ukraine warenergy ceasefireVolodymyr ZelenskyyRussia

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were discussing possible ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine during a bilateral meeting at the United Nations in New York. Trump said they would also address Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining sites, which he described as a serious blow to Russia and diesel prices.

Donald TrumpVolodymyr ZelenskyyUkraine wardiplomacy

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called for an end to the conflict in Ukraine, with any settlement aligned with UN resolutions and international law, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Donald Trump had earlier urged Ukraine to seek a settlement with Russia before winter.

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The United States, Greenland and Denmark have signed a new security agreement after months of tensions. It permits Washington to build two additional military bases on the island and reaffirms Danish sovereignty over Greenland.

Arctic securityUnited StatesGreenlandDenmark

The United States has reached a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that allows it to expand its military presence in Greenland. Thomas Warrick, a former deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of Homeland Security, analyses Trump's agreement.

United StatesDenmarkGreenlandmilitary presence

As the Xi-Trump summit approaches in Washington, Yeling Tan of the Peterson Institute for International Economics proposes three policy guardrails: greater transparency, clear rules and procedures for economic retaliation, and a defined boundary between national security and the economy with a positive list. She warns that intertwined supply chains could make export restrictions trigger cascading cross-border effects.

US-China relationsXi-Trump summitsupply chainseconomic security

President Donald Trump is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington this week as the two leaders try to preserve a fragile trade truce. Tensions remain over technology, national security and the broader contest for global influence.

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Donald Trump’s summit with China’s Xi Jinping will draw a strong group of US corporate leaders, but China will not send a comparable delegation of executives, raising questions about the prospects for reaching new deals.

Donald TrumpXi JinpingUS-China relationsbusiness delegations

General Motors CEO Mary Barra is expected to attend President Donald Trump’s Thursday state dinner at the White House for Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to two sources familiar with the matter. U.S. automakers are warning against allowing Chinese manufacturers into the market, while Trump signals he may be open to it.

Donald TrumpXi JinpingGeneral MotorsUS-China relations

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker sharply criticized Donald Trump’s planned treatment of Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Washington this week. The rebuke marks a significant public break by a key member of Trump’s own party just before a high-stakes summit.

Donald TrumpXi JinpingU.S.-China summitRepublican Party

Artificial intelligence, advanced chips and military technology have become core arenas of U.S.-China strategic competition. As Trump and Xi prepare to meet, experts examine whether Beijing can persuade Washington to ease technology restrictions and whether cooperation remains possible on AI safety and crisis management.

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China’s ambassador to the United States warned on Wednesday that Beijing has “red lines” on Taiwan, human rights and other issues that must not be crossed, ahead of this week’s meeting between the two countries’ leaders in Washington.

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Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington from September 23 to 25 for his second meeting this year with Donald Trump. Experts anticipate an extension of the trade truce but little substantive progress on disputes including rare earths, AI regulation, technology exports, arms sales to Taiwan and Iran. The two sides are seeking stability, not reconciliation, amid deep mistrust.

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