President Emmanuel Macron of France visited New York from September 21 to 23, 2026, to take part in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. During his visit, Macron met with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. They agreed to collaborate on reducing tensions in energy markets and to explore a temporary halt, or moratorium, on attacks targeting energy and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Macron stressed the importance of bolstering Ukraine's defensive capabilities, especially its ability to intercept incoming missiles. Macron also received the "Rising Nations Leader Award," which recognized France's efforts in ocean protection and the fight against climate change. In his speech, he spoke about the serious threat that climate change poses to small island nations and urged global cooperation on climate action, biodiversity, and ocean conservation. He mentioned that France was investing tens of millions of euros to relocate 600 residents from Miquelon, a French overseas territory, due to rising sea levels. After meeting with Trump, Macron held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reaffirm France's support for Ukraine, especially in response to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelensky had previously expressed Ukraine's willingness to end the war and consider any form of negotiation, including a temporary pause on long-range attacks on energy targets. The Ukrainian delegation at the UN General Assembly aimed for several outcomes, including enhancing air defense for the winter, securing financial support for defense, maintaining sanctions on Russia, creating a mechanism for an energy truce, expanding agreements on drone use, unblocking ports, and resuming grain exports. While the assembly did not achieve all of these goals, there was some progress, such as partial commitments from the U.S. and European allies regarding air defense systems and financial aid. The U.S. approved the production of Patriot missiles in partnership with Raytheon but did not commit to providing more interceptors. European countries, however, made notable contributions, with France offering SAMP/T systems and missiles, Germany confirming the supply of additional IRIS-T missiles, and Finland announcing a new defense initiative. Trump did not criticize Europe and praised NATO's strength, noting an agreement between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland to increase American military presence in the Arctic. Financial support from the European Union remains vital for Ukraine, with a 90 billion euro loan tied to Ukraine's progress in implementing reforms. However, some in Brussels have expressed concerns about lifting sanctions on Russian oligarchs, seeing it as a potentially harmful move. Efforts to unblock Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea also continued, with 51 UN member states signing a declaration condemning Russian attacks and redefining the issue as a global threat to freedom of navigation. The UN General Assembly session, which took place from September 18 to 28, 2026, on the theme "Restore trust, manage transformation: A United Nations Organization serving all," did not settle all uncertainties about negotiations but confirmed that Europe continues to be a key supporter for Ukraine, even as the U.S. shows some hesitation.