‘Three-way talks could resume’

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russia does not rule out fresh, three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv on the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said Monday, after a visit to Moscow and Kyiv by United States negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Russia “does not rule out the resumption of the trilateral format, but it is too early to say anything about the venue or the exact dates at this stage,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Witkoff and Kushner met with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend in a renewed push to end the fighting.

A senior Ukrainian presidential source told Agence France-Presse that the pair had brought “more effective” proposals on ending the war, although neither Moscow and Kyiv announced a breakthrough.

“It’s not the same as it was before. This one now is more effective. They’re still talking. This is actually the most important part,” the senior Ukrainian official said.

Zelensky said: “We very much hope(ful) that we will be able to reach agreements with our American partners, and we are counting on the support of our European partners if the war continues in winter — and this is how it appears at the moment.”

He repeated his call that only a meeting between the two leaders could solve territorial issues.

Thanking the US envoys for their visit, Zelensky said on X: “The main thing is to achieve peace for Ukraine — a dignified, reliable, and lasting peace. We are directing all our efforts toward this.”