The administration of US President Donald Trump is promoting three measures designed to de-escalate Russia’s war against Ukraine and restart the diplomatic process. These include a mutual cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure, the resumption of the grain corridor in the Black Sea, and a new trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine and Russia.
Briefly about the main points
- The US is proposing a halt to attacks on the energy sector.
- The second step is to re-establish the grain corridor.
- Thirdly, a new meeting between the US, Ukraine and Russia.
- Abu Dhabi is being mentioned as one of the possible venues for the talks.
What three steps are the US proposing?
According to Zelensky, the US is currently working on three areas of de-escalation simultaneously.
The first — a mutual cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure. The President of Ukraine stated that Kyiv is prepared to agree to such an arrangement. According to him, the proposal itself was put forward by the American side.
The second area is — resumption of operations on the Black Sea Grain Corridor. Washington is seeking to re-establish a secure mechanism for the export of food by sea, and Ukraine supports this line of negotiations. Zelenskyy stated that the issue had also been discussed with representatives from Turkey, the UAE, Egypt and India.
The third point — a trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine and Russia.
It was precisely this format that Zelenskyy described as desirable for Kyiv, noting that an agreement to halt attacks on the energy sector could be one of the first concrete outcomes of such a meeting.
Abu Dhabi is being considered as a possible venue for the talks
According to Axios, the US side is discussing the possibility of first holding a meeting not at presidential level, but between the negotiating teams.
One of the possible venues mentioned is Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is open to various countries and formats of negotiations.
Abu Dhabi had already hosted trilateral talks between representatives of Ukraine, the US and Russia in January 2026. At that time, the parties discussed the terms of a possible end to the war.
Furthermore, Zelenskyy suggested that the G20 summit in Miami in December could provide an opportunity for a meeting at the leaders’ level. The US has already invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to this summit, as confirmed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 23 September.
Ukraine is ready for an energy truce
The issue of halting attacks on the energy sector was discussed by Zelenskyy and Trump during their meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Following the talks, the President’s Office reported that the parties had discussed de-escalation measures that could pave the way for diplomacy, as well as the protection of Ukraine’s energy sector in the run-up to winter.
Even before the meeting, Zelenskyy had stated that Ukraine was prepared to take significant steps regarding energy and food security.
According to Reuters, French President Emmanuel Macron also discussed the issue of a mutual moratorium on strikes against energy facilities with Trump.
Moscow has not yet given its approval for the new format
Despite the intensification of US diplomatic efforts, no agreement has yet been reached on holding a new trilateral meeting.
Axios reports that on 23 September, the Kremlin stated that the conditions for resuming high-level talks were not currently in place. Zelenskyy also expressed doubt as to whether Putin was prepared to agree quickly to a meeting involving the leaders of the three countries.
At the same time, contacts between Washington and Moscow are continuing. A Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev set off for the US for talks with representatives of the Trump administration, notably Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to Reuters, the topics discussed at the meetings included the war against Ukraine, energy and the future negotiation process.
US representatives had previously met with Putin in Moscow, after which Witkoff and Kushner held consultations with the Ukrainian side.
Consequently, the three steps proposed by Washington remain under discussion for the time being. Ukraine confirms its readiness for an energy truce and a trilateral format, but Russia’s consent is required for the agreements to be implemented.
