Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff was quoted as saying on Saturday that Kyiv was preparing for the resumption in October of three-sided talks aimed at resolving the more than 4-1/2-year-old war with Russia.
– Kyrylo Budanov, quoted by Ukrainian media, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Kyiv that Ukraine was readying itself for the prospect of new talks involving Russia and the United States.
– “We are getting ready. In October,” Budanov was quoted as saying.
– Budanov was speaking several days after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks in both Moscow and Kyiv. It was their first such visit to Moscow since February and their first visit to the Ukrainian capital.
– The last three-sided meeting took place in Geneva in February. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts had stalled as Washington was focused on the conflict with Iran.
– Witkoff said after visiting both capitals that they welcomed new momentum in proceeding with talks.
– Zelenskiy said the two envoys had presented some “very decent, worthwhile ideas”. He suggested that a new three-sided meeting could be hosted by Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland or other countries.
– Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow did not rule out a resumption of peace talks but added that it was too early to say when and where such talks might take place.
– Major differences on how to end the war remain between the two sides. A key issue is the fate of the remaining Ukrainian-held territory in the eastern Donbas region, which Moscow has claimed as its own but has failed to capture despite years of fierce fighting.