Ukraine War · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Zelensky Says The United States Plans Trilateral Talks With Russia And Ukraine By End Of October
Zelensky says Washington plans trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine by end of October. Talks aim to facilitate exit from war and involve US mediation between Kyiv and Moscow.
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Talks by end of October
Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States planned to organize trilateral talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives by the end of October, as part of American diplomatic efforts to find an exit to the war. Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv that the United States planned the talks in a trilateral format and that the discussions should take place by the end of October, with the meeting described as expert-level. Zelensky said the American side was in contact with Ukraine and Russia and proposed a technical-level meeting, in one way or another, by the end of October.
Zelensky said Ukraine was open to the United Arab Emirates or another country proposed by the U.S. side, and he said he did not know whether Russia had received the proposal or not. Zelensky also said he spoke with U.S. representatives on Saturday and confirmed to them that "our side is willing to support this timeline."
Oil deal shadows diplomacy
The Trump administration’s talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine expanded to include a multibillion-dollar oil deal tied to U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The deal was contingent on approval from the US government and the Kremlin and involved oil fields, refineries and gas stations around the world owned by Russian energy group Lukoil.
President Vladimir V. Putin brought up the deal when he met with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin on Sept. 5.
A senior administration official told the Times in a statement that Kushner and Witkoff were helping negotiate the financial terms of the deal, including "a substantial upfront payment and profits for the United States."
The leading group seeking the deal included an American investor, Todd Boehly, and an arm of the U.S. government itself, raising questions about conflicts of interest.
Pressure, timing, and risks
The Ukrainian capital had been particularly targeted in recent weeks by nearly daily waves of drones, as Ukraine faced a lack of anti-aircraft capabilities and a gigantic budget deficit that Europeans struggle to fill. Ukraine feared the arrival of winter because the Russian army could be capable of inflicting significant damage to power plants, as in 2025 when millions of people were plunged at times into darkness and cold. Russia’s Defense Ministry warned of a rise in air strikes in response to Zelensky’s prior statement that he would “double” attacks on Russian oil facilities.
The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia wishes to achieve peace by peaceful means, but that Russia “will respond to Kyiv’s escalation of tensions, as this is the only way to protect Russia’s interests.” Zelensky’s announcement came as the capital faced a resurgence of Russian attacks, with Le Parisien saying the attacks targeted a bridge for the fourth day in a row.