Zelenskyy Says US Proposes Trilateral Technical Talks With Russia by End of October

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that the United States is proposing a technical-level trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia by the end of October, speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to Ukrainska Pravda and RBC-Ukraine.

Asked about possible talks, Zelenskyy said he could not disclose every detail of ongoing contacts. "I cannot [share] all the details. Yesterday, for example, I spoke with the negotiation team, the American team. The American side is currently in contact with Ukraine and Russia, proposing that a meeting be held in some form at the technical level in a trilateral format by the end of October," he said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Ukraine open to UAE or another venue

Zelenskyy said he confirmed on 3 October that Ukraine is willing to take part in such a meeting before month's end. "There is no new information here. We are open to the United Arab Emirates or another country proposed by the American side. I know they will propose this to the Russian side as well or perhaps they already have – I don't know the exact order of actions. So we will wait for their response," he said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

RBC-Ukraine reported that Zelenskyy added: "We are positive about negotiations." He said he did not have exact information on whether Russia had already received the US proposal.

Media reports and energy ceasefire context

Ukrainska Pravda noted that media reports had previously indicated US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives might meet in October in Abu Dhabi to discuss a possible partial ceasefire focused on mutual restraint from strikes on energy infrastructure. Those remain media reports, not a confirmed agenda announced by Kyiv or Washington in the Sunday briefing.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington will try to secure an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine while acknowledging that doing so would be difficult, Ukrainska Pravda reported in background. Separate coverage of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities is not the focus of this report.

Merz visit backdrop

Zelenskyy's comments came during Merz's visit to Kyiv. The chancellor's bilateral agenda and military-aid discussions are covered elsewhere; Sunday's remarks centered on the US-proposed format for technical contacts among Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.

Ukraine's stated openness leaves the next step with Moscow's response and whatever venue the American side advances, according to the presidents' attributed comments.