Ukraine says it is ready for US-backed trilateral talks with Russia this month

Ukraine says it is ready to take part in trilateral talks with the United States and Russia this month, in a fresh diplomatic move linked to the wider war. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the comments in Kyiv during a news conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He said Ukraine supports a swift return to talks as efforts continue to find a path toward ending the conflict.

Sponsored

Zelenskyy said Washington is now pushing for technical-level talks by the end of October. He added that he had confirmed to the United States that Kyiv is ready to support that timeline. According to his remarks, the meeting could take place in the United Arab Emirates or in another venue proposed by the American side.

He also said Washington has been in contact with Moscow about the plan. The Kremlin said last month that it did not rule out the possibility of three-way talks this month. The latest comments suggest that diplomatic contacts remain active even as both sides continue to prepare for further military pressure.

Zelenskyy said he was surprised by what he described as Russia's daily drive to escalate the situation. He accused Moscow of targeting civilian infrastructure, including data centres and mobile network facilities. The development matters because it points to a possible resumption of structured diplomacy after months of uncertainty around ceasefire efforts.

Sponsored

The United States has been trying to broker a ceasefire, although those efforts were paused after Washington launched its war on Iran. A technical-level process by the end of October would not by itself end the fighting, but it could create a channel for more detailed discussions on terms and sequencing. For Ukraine, any talks would also take place while the war continues to affect energy, communications and other civilian systems.

The United Arab Emirates has previously hosted talks, making it a plausible venue if the sides agree to meet there again. Zelenskyy's remarks also came as Russia said it is targeting Ukraine's energy sector ahead of winter. He referred to earlier attacks that left people without power and heating for days when temperatures fell sharply.

Those references underline why the timing of any diplomatic opening is being watched closely, especially as winter approaches and pressure on infrastructure increases. What remains unclear is whether the proposed talks will happen this month, who will attend, and whether they will be held in the United Arab Emirates or another country. It is also not clear how far the United States has advanced its contacts with Moscow or what issues would be placed first on the agenda.

#Ukraine #Russia #UnitedStates #VolodymyrZelenskyy #diplomacy

Sponsored