Zelenskyy says US proposes technical-level trilateral talks with Russia, Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that the US has proposed the organization of a trilateral meeting with Russia and Ukraine at the technical level.

“Regarding the trilateral meeting, the American side proposed preparing for it and holding a meeting at the technical level in a trilateral format,” Zelenskyy told reporters in remarks cited by Ukrainian media outlets, including state news agency Ukrinform.

Expressing that the Ukrainian side is currently awaiting proposals from the US regarding the date of such a meeting, Zelenskyy said Washington suggested the UAE as a venue for the talks.

The UAE hosted two rounds of US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier this year – on Jan. 23-24 and Feb. 4-5.

The US has not commented on the remarks, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing later Friday that the possibility of a trilateral meeting between Russian, Ukrainian, and US representatives was discussed during a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump earlier this month.

In his conversation with journalists, Zelenskyy recalled that he personally asked the US president, during their meeting in New York on Tuesday, to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping and do “everything possible” to ensure Xi influences Russia in ending the ongoing Ukraine war.

He said that the US side has not yet provided feedback to Kyiv about the issue, but noted that Trump told him that he made the “final decision” to provide Ukraine with licenses for the production of missiles for Patriot systems.

Concerning “drone deals” signed between Ukraine and various countries, Zelenskyy said these agreements do not depend on whether a country is a NATO member or not, but that the key factor is that they are Kyiv’s partners.

“When we sign such a deal, it involves not only the sale of drones or missiles but also an exchange of experience. And what you are referring to is precisely part of that exchange – such as when we deployed our specialists to the Middle East or helped protect critical infrastructure,” Zelenskyy further said.

Zelenskyy also said he had several meetings while in New York, including with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director Kristalina Georgieva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and that Ukraine has received constructive responses regarding the need to cover its $27 billion budget deficit, most of which is related to defense purchases.

“If we don’t place the orders and make the payments in October and November, we will face serious challenges, particularly in January and February,” Zelenskyy added.