Kremlin rejects Miami summit with Zelensky but opens door to October trilateral talks

Rejection of Miami summit proposal

Russian officials have dismissed a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold direct peace talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Miami this December. Zelensky stated in an interview that he was prepared to attend the gathering hosted by Donald Trump and meet Vladimir Putin if the Russian president participated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the proposal as impossible during comments to reporters on Saturday in New Delhi. Peskov reiterated that any direct encounter between the two leaders could take place only in Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the invitation for Zelensky to travel to the Russian capital as a huge gesture of goodwill. Lavrov added that while Moscow remains open to discussions with Kyiv, Russian forces will not pause military operations during any future negotiations.

Trilateral negotiations targeted for October

Despite rejecting a bilateral summit in the United States, Moscow and Kyiv have both confirmed that trilateral negotiations involving the United States could resume in October. Peskov stated on Sunday that holding three-party discussions in the foreseeable future remains a clear possibility. His remarks followed statements by the head of Zelensky's office, Kyrylo Budanov, who said Ukrainian teams are preparing for October meetings. Diplomatic contacts recently resumed after US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Moscow and Kyiv for preliminary discussions. Kushner told attendees at the Yalta European Strategy forum by video link that he hoped to announce the next formal steps within weeks.

We must come. We must meet, discuss and make a decision. It's not the words that matter. What I will tell him or what he will want to tell me, that doesn't matter. All that matters is the result.

Diplomatic timeline and proposed venues

Diplomatic dialogue stalled earlier this year after previous engagements failed to produce a comprehensive political settlement. The most recent trilateral talks between American, Russian, and Ukrainian representatives took place in Geneva in February. A subsequent round planned for March in Abu Dhabi was postponed following the launch of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have both offered to host upcoming diplomatic sessions. Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin foreign policy adviser, noted that Abu Dhabi remains a suitable venue for Moscow after Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan confirmed the Emirates' readiness to host delegates.

Unresolved territorial disputes

Negotiations between the two sides have repeatedly stalled over the status of partially occupied Ukrainian regions claimed for annexation by Russia. Past rounds of discussions produced narrow humanitarian agreements limited to prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers. Ushakov stated that the participating parties currently lack an agreed package of terms to structure upcoming peace talks. He noted that while both sides recognize the necessity of addressing territorial disputes, numerous other political matters remain unresolved. Peskov similarly confirmed that while no new draft proposals are currently on the table, the purpose of a trilateral meeting in October will be to seek new options.

Regarding the existence of new proposals, at this moment there are none. But that is precisely the goal of the trilateral meeting: to search for new options.