The United States wants to begin trilateral technical negotiations with Russia and Ukraine by the end of October, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announces

The United States is pressuring the parties to organize trilateral technical negotiations between Ukraine and Russia by the end of October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday at a press conference held alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Zelenskyy specified that Washington is maintaining contacts with both Kyiv and Moscow and is proposing a meeting at the technical level. Ukraine is ready to participate and accepts the United Arab Emirates or any other country indicated by the American side. The Ukrainian president spoke Saturday with the US negotiating team, but did not provide details about the preparations underway.

The initiative comes after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Kyiv and Moscow at the beginning of September. Washington is also trying to secure a truce covering attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukraine says it will accept it only if Russia suspends its strikes as well.

Moscow has not indicated that it intends to halt the attacks, and a possible energy agreement and the reopening of the grain corridor in the Black Sea could be discussed at the upcoming meeting. Meanwhile, Russia continues its bombardment of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.