Ukraine and Russia have signaled that they are prepared to resume trilateral talks with the United States, according to officials cited by DW. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said Kyiv was preparing for talks “for October,” while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow did not rule out the possibility in the foreseeable future.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv in early September in an effort to revive negotiations. The previous trilateral rounds, held in Abu Dhabi and Geneva in January and February 2026, produced no breakthrough, with control of territory in eastern Ukraine remaining a central obstacle.
Kushner said Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to demand territory beyond the areas Russia currently controls. Ukraine has indicated that it could accept freezing the fighting along the existing frontline if it received security guarantees, but it rejects surrendering territory that Russian forces have not conquered. A Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll cited by DW found that 60% of Ukrainians could support freezing the conflict under such conditions, while 33% supported giving up territory demanded by Putin.
The prospects for a wider agreement remain uncertain. Kyiv-based political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko told DW that the battlefield was effectively stalemated, while Russia had an advantage in the air war. Ukraine is running short of interceptors for ballistic missiles, and Russia has increased attacks using faster jet-powered drones, targeting energy facilities, warehouses, gas stations and railway infrastructure.
Ukraine is seeking an initial reduction in attacks on energy infrastructure and the restoration of grain exports through the Black Sea rather than an immediate full ceasefire. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told DW that energy and grain could provide a first step toward negotiations. Fesenko said a grain agreement might be easier because both sides face problems linked to blocked exports and damaged ports, while an energy truce would be harder because winter vulnerability gives Moscow leverage.
The talks would likely begin at the level of negotiating teams, although Kyiv says only the presidents can resolve the territorial question. Russia has rejected a proposed December meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy at the G20 summit, and the United States is also pressing Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian fuel facilities. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials warn that Russian damage to critical infrastructure could make the coming winter particularly difficult.