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- The continuation is being investigated: trilateral negotiations on Ukraine are not yet being prepared
The continuation is being investigated: trilateral negotiations on Ukraine are not yet being prepared
Practical preparations for a new trilateral round of Russia, the United States and Ukraine are not underway yet. This was stated to "Izvestia" by the head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Grigory Karasin, who is currently in New York as part of the Russian delegation to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. According to him, there is a conversation about this, but it is of a general nature. At the same time, the Russian-American track remains active: earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and the media reported that Kirill Dmitriev, the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation, went to the United States for talks with the Americans.
A new round of meetings on Ukraine
The negotiation process on Ukraine has noticeably revived at the session of the UN General Assembly in New York. An important step in this regard was the talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which took place on September 23 in New York. Nevertheless, there is no talk of preparing trilateral contacts between Russia, the United States and Ukraine, Grigory Karasin, a member of the Russian delegation to the General Assembly and chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, told "Izvestia".
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York, September 23, 2026
— Specifically, such contacts are not being prepared in detail. There is a general discussion about this," he said.
Meanwhile, the media reported that Kirill Dmitriev, the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, went to New York for the UN General Assembly, where he was to hold a meeting with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of the President of the United States, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the American leader. According to Reuters, the parties should discuss bilateral economic issues and the parameters of the Ukrainian settlement. However, there has been no official confirmation of the visit so far.
Earlier, reports appeared in the Ukrainian media about preparations for a meeting between representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine, at which they allegedly planned to discuss an energy truce. However, this information was quickly denied on both sides: Dmitriev's representative stated that trilateral contacts in New York were not planned at all, and Zelensky's office announced the departure of the Ukrainian delegation, adding that the possibility of such a meeting was not even raised on the agenda.
— In practical terms , it is a matter of a trilateral meeting . It wasn't discussed here in New York. It's not important to talk about some formats and far-fetched schemes. Real progress towards a serious political settlement is needed here. It seems that Zelensky and his team are not ready for this yet," emphasized Grigory Karasin.
Lavrov repeated Moscow's official position at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine on September 23. The Minister stressed that Russia is ready for negotiations to achieve a sustainable and just peace, but advocates a long-term settlement, not a temporary ceasefire. At the same time, Moscow does not intend to stop the fighting during the dialogue. Senator Grigory Karasin noted: the speech of the Russian Foreign Minister at the Security Council meeting attracted universal attention. According to him, the calm and meaningful position of the Russian side aroused the interest of all those present, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sibiga.
After meeting with Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both Moscow and Kiev expressed interest in a partial ceasefire that would cover energy infrastructure and grain exports. At the same time, the Ukrainian side has also been actively promoting initiatives in recent days to mutually refrain from attacks on energy facilities and ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.
The aggravation of the situation in the energy sector is taking place both against the background of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and due to Kiev's attacks on Russian oil refineries. US President Donald Trump demanded Zelensky to stop attacks on these facilities, stressing that they worsen fuel shortages and provoke an increase in world prices.
For the United States, this problem is particularly acute — now the average retail price of diesel there is about $ 6.53 per gallon compared to $5.26 in early August. The rising cost of fuel has a direct impact on the future results of the midterm elections. Transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture depend on diesel, and as a result, the cost of living in the United States.
However, possible agreements on energy should be based on mutual principles and not used by one of the parties to prolong the conflict, Igor Istomin, Acting Head of the Department of Applied Analysis of International Processes at MGIMO, said in an interview with "Izvestia". At the same time, the specific terms of such agreements may well be discussed behind closed doors, the expert believes.
Why negotiations remain on pause
It is not necessary to completely exclude the possibility of resuming the trilateral format. Discussions about a possible resumption of contacts intensified in early September after the visits of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kiev. The Kremlin has allowed the possibility of resuming negotiations on Ukraine in October. The last such meeting was held more than six months ago, on February 17-18 in Geneva. Prior to that, negotiations were held twice in Abu Dhabi - on January 23-24 and February 4-5.
The parties are still unable to agree on a return to the trilateral format. Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 23 that there are no real prerequisites for the start of peace talks on Ukraine yet, although Moscow remains open to them in principle.
Participants of the trilateral meeting of the delegations of Russia, the United States and Ukraine in Geneva, February 17, 2026
The problem rests primarily on the difference in approaches to the settlement itself, Igor Istomin believes. According to him, Moscow has repeatedly stated its readiness to seek solutions through diplomacy, but not at the expense of its interests. Previous attempts to reach an agreement rested on the unwillingness of Kiev and the European countries supporting it to engage in dialogue on a reciprocal basis and taking into account the Russian position. The latest signals from the Ukrainian side do not yet give grounds to believe that this approach has changed significantly, he added.
At the same time, the mere fact of holding a trilateral meeting does not guarantee the effectiveness of the negotiation process. According to Istomin, the dialogue will become meaningful only if Kiev refuses to rely on unconditional support from European states. Currently, the Ukrainian side is largely compensating for the remaining difficulties in cooperation with Washington with the help of the European Union. According to media reports, the EU is discussing the possibility of early allocation of financial resources to Ukraine. According to sources, macro-financial assistance in the amount of €45 billion, initially designed for the whole of 2027, can be provided as early as the first half of it. It is noted that this step is aimed at promptly covering the deficit of the Ukrainian budget, which exceeds €20 billion.
The nearest major platform for possible contacts between the leaders will be the APEC Summit on November 18-19 in Shenzhen. The Kremlin previously reported that the possibility of a trilateral meeting between Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was discussed. However, the parties have not started preparing it yet: the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that it was first necessary to determine the agenda and the possible outcome of such a contact. Another opportunity will appear on December 14-15 at the G20 summit in Miami. The United States invited Putin to take part in it. The Kremlin welcomed this step, saying it was working on this issue through diplomatic channels.
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