Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine, the United States and Russia are expected to hold trilateral talks in November, as efforts intensify to revive negotiations aimed at ending the war.
“We are ready to talk. If it’s a territorial issue, it must be addressed at a leadership level. Other issues fall within the remit of the technical groups. All this can therefore be discussed in November,” Zelensky said in a Ukrainian television interview, as quoted by AFP.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that officials were preparing for a trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates next month, AFP reported.
The proposed meeting follows a renewed push by US President Donald Trump’s administration to bring Kyiv and Moscow back to the negotiating table. Both countries have indicated their willingness to resume direct negotiations under Washington’s mediation, according to AFP.
UAE expected to host trilateral meeting
US envoy Steve Witkoff has been involved in the latest diplomatic efforts. He held discussions with Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo on Tuesday before travelling to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin the following day.
The planned talks are expected to address the deadlock in negotiations over the war. Zelensky has said territorial questions must be discussed at the leadership level, while other issues could be handled by technical groups.
Trump criticises Zelensky’s approach to ending the war
The diplomatic push comes amid growing tensions between Trump and Zelensky, with the US president accusing the Ukrainian leader of not wanting to end the war with Russia.
Last week, Trump said he was prepared to do “anything he can” to end the conflict. Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for Kansas, he also said it was “time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine”.
Trump criticised Zelensky’s handling of the war, saying Ukraine “should have had this war settled a long time ago”, Fox News reported.
“If he would have listened to me, he would have made a much better deal a long time ago, and he’d have a million people living from his side,” Trump said. He added, “Maybe it’s time for Zelensky to get somebody else to negotiate.”
Trump also said he was open to meeting Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the war in Ukraine, including in a format that could take place “with or without” Zelensky.
Putin reportedly proposed summit with Trump and Xi
Separately, Putin proposed a trilateral summit with Trump and Xi to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The proposal was reportedly part of Putin’s effort to capitalise on improving ties with Trump. The idea was raised during a phone call between the two leaders on October 9, the newspaper reported, citing a former Russian intelligence officer who had been briefed on the matter.
The phone call also reportedly led to a deal for the United States to purchase Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on the global market.
The proposed summit involving Trump, Putin and Xi is separate from the expected Ukraine-US-Russia talks. Both initiatives come amid continued diplomatic efforts to restart negotiations, although the central disagreements over the war remain unresolved.