In Washington today an energy ceasefire may be discussed: data on a trilateral meeting diverged

Conflicting information appeared in the media about a possible trilateral meeting of representatives of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia on September 24. ZN.UA, citing a source in diplomatic circles, claims that agreements on such talks were reached after the meeting of presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump. At the same time, Radio NV journalist Yulia Zabielina reported that, according to her information, no trilateral negotiations were planned for Thursday.

According to ZN.UA, Kyrylo Budanov, Rustem Umerov, representatives of the US President Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev could take part in the meeting.

The main topic, according to the publication, was to be a possible energy ceasefire – a list of facilities that the agreement would cover, and mechanisms for monitoring its implementation.

The ZN.UA source also claims that Moscow wants to link the issue of stopping strikes on energy facilities with the restoration of free navigation and the issue of Russia's "shadow fleet" used for oil exports.

However, soon after the publication, Radio NV journalist Yulia Zabielina reported that her information differs.

"According to my information, no trilateral meeting was planned in the US for today", she wrote.

Later, she published a comment by presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, who reported that the Ukrainian delegation is currently on its way to Ukraine.

There is currently no official confirmation of a trilateral meeting involving Ukrainian, American, and Russian delegations on September 24.

At the same time, information about the intensification of negotiations around an energy ceasefire and a trilateral format is confirmed by other sources. Axios reports that the Trump administration is currently pushing three separate steps: mutual cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure, restoration of the Black Sea grain corridor, and trilateral negotiations between the US, Ukraine, and Russia. 

According to Zelenskyy in an interview with Axios, Ukraine is ready to agree to a mutual energy ceasefire. The president also advocated for a trilateral meeting and proposed that stopping strikes on energy facilities be one of its first practical results. The American side, according to him, among the possible options initially considered negotiations at the level of technical teams and named Abu Dhabi as one of the potential locations.

Axios, however, does not report a trilateral meeting planned for Thursday in the United States. According to the publication, Kirill Dmitriev is to arrive in New York and hold talks specifically with Witkoff and Kushner regarding the latest American proposals. Thus, the currently confirmed information concerns a Russian-American contact, not negotiations of three parties.

After the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump in New York, American representatives already held separate talks with the Ukrainian team and national security advisers of France, Great Britain, and Germany. According to Axios, some proposals still need refinement, after which the American side plans to discuss them with Russia again.

A separate element of diplomatic negotiations is the restoration of safe navigation in the Black Sea. For Ukraine, this has direct economic significance due to the export of grain and other agricultural products. Zelenskyy told Axios that he has already discussed this topic with Turkey, India, the UAE, and Egypt, who also support the restoration of the maritime corridor.

Based on materials from: ZN.UA, Yulia Zabielina, Axios