Washington weighs trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine by late October

14:30

The United States is considering a new diplomatic initiative aimed at bringing Russia and Ukraine into the same negotiating framework, with technical-level trilateral talks potentially taking place before the end of October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday.

The proposal would mark another attempt by Washington to establish direct channels between the two sides as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a possible path toward ending the war.

Washington explores a three-way format

According to Zelensky, American officials are currently communicating separately with Ukrainian and Russian representatives about the proposed meeting. The discussions are focused on arranging a trilateral format that would bring the three countries together at a technical level.

Zelensky said the United States was seeking to organize the meeting by the end of October, although no specific date or venue was announced.

The Ukrainian president described the initiative during a press conference, indicating that Washington was working to maintain diplomatic contacts with both Moscow and Kyiv despite the continuing conflict.

A potential new channel for negotiations

The proposed format could provide Washington with an additional mechanism for testing areas of possible agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Holding discussions at the technical level could also allow the parties to address specific issues without immediately committing to a high-level political settlement.

For Kyiv, continued engagement with Washington remains central to its diplomatic strategy as the war persists. For the United States, contacts with both sides could offer an opportunity to assess whether conditions exist for broader negotiations.

Uncertainty remains over the next steps

The announcement does not yet establish that a trilateral meeting will definitely take place. Details concerning the participants, agenda, location and scope of the discussions remain unclear.

The coming weeks are therefore likely to be critical for determining whether the proposed talks can move from diplomatic contacts to an actual negotiating table. Any meeting involving American, Ukrainian and Russian representatives would carry significant political weight given the prolonged nature of the conflict.