Zelensky Confirms Washington Demands Immediate New Round Of Peace Negotiations With Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that the United States is seeking to arrange a new round of technical-level talks involving Ukraine, Russia and American representatives before the end of October. The proposed meeting is intended to address the conflict that has now stretched into its fifth year, following more than four and a half years of full-scale fighting since Russia’s invasion. Speaking to reporters during a joint press conference in the Ukrainian capital alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelensky said the American side remains in active contact with both Kyiv and Moscow.

He explained that Washington has put forward a plan to hold discussions in a trilateral format at the technical level by the end of the month. Zelensky confirmed that he had spoken directly with the US negotiating team the previous day and had given Ukraine’s formal backing to the suggested timeline. “The American side is currently in contact with Ukraine and Russia and is proposing to somehow hold a meeting at the technical level in a trilateral format by the end of October,” he told reporters. “I confirmed to them that our side is ready to support this timeline.”

The Ukrainian president did not name a specific location for the potential talks. He made clear, however, that Kyiv is prepared to meet in the United Arab Emirates or in any other country put forward by the American side. The UAE has previously hosted US-mediated discussions connected to the Russian invasion, giving it an established role in earlier diplomatic efforts. Zelensky added that he expected Washington to present the same proposal to the Russian side, if it had not already done so, and that Ukraine would wait for Moscow’s reply before further steps could be taken.

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US-led attempts to broker a resolution to the war have largely stalled in recent months. American attention has been diverted by Washington’s own military confrontation with Iran, while Ukrainian officials report that Russia has significantly increased the intensity and frequency of aerial attacks across the country. These strikes have targeted both military positions and civilian infrastructure, complicating any immediate path toward de-escalation. Despite the renewed diplomatic contacts, both Russia and Ukraine have continued to expand their long-range operations against one another’s energy facilities and other strategic targets.

The latest American proposal builds on earlier signals from the Kremlin that three-way talks remained a possibility in October. Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that such discussions were not ruled out and could take place in the foreseeable future. Earlier this autumn, US envoys visited both Kyiv and Moscow, raising expectations that a return to formal negotiations might be possible. Those contacts, however, produced limited concrete progress amid the competing demands of the wider geopolitical environment and the ongoing military campaign on the ground.

Whether the proposed technical-level meeting can be organised before the end of October will depend on reciprocal engagement from Russia, agreement on a venue, and clarification of the agenda. Possible topics that have been mentioned in recent reporting include measures related to energy infrastructure and the potential reopening of maritime corridors. For the moment, Zelensky’s public confirmation of Ukraine’s readiness constitutes a clear statement of willingness on Kyiv’s part to re-enter talks under the framework advanced by the United States. The coming weeks will show whether Moscow responds in kind and whether the stalled peace process can regain momentum after months of limited movement.

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