Moscow ready to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine, US after Nov. 4, Kremlin aide says
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The Kremlin is ready to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the U.S. after Nov. 4, when Russia celebrates National Unity Day, Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told state-controlled outlet Vesti on Oct. 25.
The statement follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Oct. 23 remarks that a new round of trilateral talks is expected in the first half of November, with Abu Dhabi a possible venue.
"The next deadline is now Nov. 4, our major holiday. After that, we will be ready to resume negotiations," Ushakov said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected ceasefire proposals, demanding instead that Kyiv cede the only partially occupied Donbas, a strategically important region in eastern Ukraine. Such a concession would give Moscow territory that Russian forces have been unable to capture on the battlefield. Ukraine, in contrast, has agreed to multiple ceasefire proposals put forward by the U.S.
Ushakov said he did not expect the first trilateral meeting after the pause to yield significant results, calling it a "trial run." A peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine "still needs work," he added.
On Oct. 20, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European partners, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
The following day, Witkoff held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, after which the Kremlin said it was ready to resume trilateral talks in November.
Witkoff said on Oct. 21 that discussions among Ukrainian, U.S., and Russian representatives would "continue at the technical level."
Putin has long avoided meeting with Zelensky. Instead, the Kremlin chief is reportedly seeking a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in China next month in an effort to secure a favorable peace deal without Ukraine's participation.
In recent weeks, Trump has also lashed out at Zelensky, unilaterally announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine that ultimately failed, threatened to cut off intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, and eased sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Trump has defended the sanctions relief, arguing that it could encourage Moscow to take part in peace negotiations with Kyiv.
