Russia has stated its readiness to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US after 4 November 2026. This was announced on 25 October by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian President, in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin. According to the Kremlin representative, Moscow is ready to return to the negotiation process after the celebrations marking Russia’s National Unity Day. However, the exact date, venue and final agenda for the meeting have not yet been announced.
- Yuri Ushakov stated that the Russian Federation was prepared to resume the trilateral talks after 4 November.
- The Kremlin had previously suggested the second ten days of November as a possible timeframe.
- Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to hold a meeting of the negotiating teams in the first half of November.
- The Kremlin believes that the first round will be of a preliminary nature.
Ushakov has set a deadline for the resumption of talks with Ukraine and the US
Assistant to the Russian President Yuriy Ushakov On 25 October, he stated that Moscow was prepared to return to the trilateral negotiation format after 4 November.
In response to a journalist’s question Pavlo Zarubin When asked about the possible timing of the next round, Ushakov linked Russia’s readiness to the celebrations marking National Unity Day.
According to a Kremlin spokesperson, after that date, the Russian side will be ready to resume contacts with the delegations from Ukraine and the United States.
Ushakov also claimed that Moscow had planned to return to the negotiations after elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in September, but accused the Ukrainian side of reneging on previous agreements. He did not provide any independent confirmation of this claim.
Why did the Kremlin previously refer to mid-November?
21 October, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met with the US President’s Special Envoy in St Petersburg Steve Witkoff.
After negotiations, Following the talks, which lasted nearly three hours, Ushakov reported that Putin had expressed his willingness, in principle, to resume the trilateral meetings in the first ten days of November. According to him, one of the key issues is to be the establishment of a security framework for Russia and Ukraine once the war has ended.
The new statement regarding readiness to begin negotiations after 4 November does not specify a particular date for the meeting, nor does it imply that the previously stated deadline has been definitively changed.
The Kremlin also noted that the drafting of a peace agreement requires further work.
What did Zelenskyy say about the trilateral talks?
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy On 23 October, during an online address at the Hudson Institute, he stated that he had discussed the diplomatic process with Donald Trump’s representatives — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to the President, the parties have agreed to hold a trilateral meeting at the level of the negotiating teams. Zelenskyy clarified that the meeting is planned for the first half of November, although Ukraine is prepared to hold it earlier.
The President emphasised the need to move from technical talks to a meeting of heads of state, as it is at the highest level that key issues regarding the end of the war can be resolved.
The Ukrainian side also supports discussions on a ceasefire, the protection of energy infrastructure, humanitarian initiatives and the return of prisoners of war.
At the same time, Zelenskyy pointed out that previous attempts to organise talks had repeatedly ended with the cancellation of the planned meetings.
Are they expecting quick results in Moscow?
In a comment on 25 October, Ushakov acknowledged that the first round of talks was unlikely to result in any far-reaching decisions. In his view, the initial meeting will be largely exploratory in nature. Representatives of the three states will need to agree on the next steps and discuss the positions of the parties.
The previous trilateral talks, mediated by the US, took place in early 2026. The delegations met in Abu Dhabi and Geneva.
Despite diplomatic contacts, the fighting has not ceased, and Russia has continued to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
As of 25 October, the parties have confirmed their willingness to work towards organising a new round of talks; however, the date and venue of the meeting have not been publicly specified. Similarly, there is no agreed peace deal or announced general ceasefire.
