The United States is a step away from resuming trilateral talks with Ukraine and Russia on ending the war. President Donald Trump's administration is actively working on organizing a new meeting.
This was stated on October 25 by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson in an interview with Fox News Sunday. Details of his statement are also reported by Bloomberg and Barron's.
According to Johnson, over the weekend he spoke with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him about the preparation of a new round of negotiations.
The speaker said that Washington is already very close to the start of trilateral consultations. At the same time, he acknowledged that the negotiation process remains difficult due to many unresolved issues.
Johnson stressed that the Trump administration is making every effort to end Russia's war against Ukraine. He separately warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted and this must be taken into account during diplomatic contacts.
The statement came amid discussions in the US about easing sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. Johnson noted that the Congress and the White House share the goal of ending the war, although the issue of economic restrictions against Russia remains a subject of discussion.
Trump himself also told reporters on October 25 that he expects negotiations to be held in the near future. The American president expressed the view that both sides are interested in reaching an agreement.
When and where the talks may take place
According to preliminary agreements, the meeting of representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia is planned for the first half of November. It is primarily about technical-level negotiations that should prepare the basis for a possible summit of the leaders of the three countries.
Preparation intensified after the talks of American special envoy Steve Witkoff with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders on October 20 in Oslo. The next day Witkoff met with Putin in St. Petersburg.
As reported by Axios, during the meeting the American side presented Moscow with updated proposals to end the war. After the talks, US representatives said that Kyiv and Moscow agreed in principle to return to the trilateral format.
On October 23, Zelenskyy confirmed the intention to hold a meeting of negotiation teams in the first half of November. He said that Ukraine is ready for consultations as soon as possible, but their holding depends on the Russian side.
Meanwhile, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov reported on Russia's readiness to return to trilateral negotiations around November 10. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov named Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates as a possible place for the meeting.
However, on October 25 Zelenskyy specified in an interview with TSN that there is no final decision on the venue. Besides Abu Dhabi, other Middle Eastern countries or European capitals are being considered.
What issues Ukraine wants to raise at the talks
According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian side expects that the new round of consultations will have practical results and allow moving to direct negotiations between the presidents.
Among the priority issues, Kyiv proposes to discuss the cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure, a possible ceasefire in the Black Sea and the continuation of prisoner of war exchanges.
In particular, a cessation of hostilities at sea could improve conditions for Ukrainian grain exports, ensure more stable logistics routes and support budget revenues.
Ukraine also insists on the need to involve European partners in the peace process. Zelenskyy proposes that the most difficult issues, including territorial disputes and long-term security guarantees, be resolved at the leaders' level.
In turn, the Russian side states that the future consultations should primarily concern the security system after the end of the war. Putin calls for discussion of a comprehensive peace settlement, not just a short-term ceasefire.
Despite statements by Washington, Kyiv and Moscow about readiness to resume negotiations, the final date and place of the meeting have not yet been announced. There is also no ceasefire agreement yet.
Earlier "Курс України" reported on Zelenskyy's discussion with Trump's emissaries on the preparation of a new round of trilateral consultations.
