Key facts
- Ukraine is preparing for potential peace talks with Russia and the US in October.
- A territorial dispute over Ukrainian territory in the Donbas remains a key obstacle to peace.
- Russia demands Ukraine cede territory, while Kyiv seeks a ceasefire along current lines and security guarantees.
- US Special Envoy Jared Kushner stated that Kyiv is not prepared to make territorial concessions.
- President Putin outlined Russia's territorial demands during talks with Kushner on September 5.
- The US is seeking a creative solution to protect Ukraine's interests and persuade Russia to end the war.
Ukraine is preparing for the potential resumption of three-sided peace talks with Russia and the United States in October, according to Kyrylo Budanov, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Budanov was quoted by Ukrainian media on Saturday saying that Ukraine was readying itself for the prospect of new discussions.
This comes after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks in both Moscow and Kyiv. Kushner stated on September 11 that a territorial dispute remains unresolved in efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine, but Kyiv is not prepared to make concessions. He noted that President Vladimir Putin outlined Russia's territorial demands during talks in Moscow on September 5, appearing to refer to Russia's demand that Ukraine cede territory in the Donbas. "President Putin laid out his line of what he wants to achieve," Kushner said during a panel. "If Ukraine wanted to withdraw to that line, then obviously, you know, we have the rest of the deal set up and put together. Ukraine right now does not want to do that."
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected a ceasefire and demanded that Kyiv cede the partially occupied Donbas. Ukraine has instead called for a ceasefire along the current front line and stressed the need for Western-backed security guarantees. Kushner said the US is seeking a "creative solution" that would protect Ukraine's interests while persuading Russia to end the war, urging the sides to look beyond territorial questions and consider opportunities for economic development after the war. The US expects to announce the next steps in the talks in the coming weeks, Kushner said.
President Zelensky told reporters after the meeting in Kyiv that he expected "the war will continue" into the winter months despite the renewed diplomatic push. Previous rounds of talks produced little political progress but led to major humanitarian initiatives, including prisoner-of-war exchanges. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow does not rule out resuming peace talks but noted it was too early to specify when or where.