Kremlin leaves door open to October trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and US

Kremlin opens door to autumn talks

The Kremlin announced on Sunday, 13 September 2026, that trilateral negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine could resume in October. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian state news agencies that Moscow remains open to restarting discussions with Ukraine and the United States. The statement follows several months of paused diplomatic efforts between the warring parties and American mediators. Peskov spoke directly to journalists from Ria Novosti and Tass regarding the possible timetable for new meetings. Ukrainian officials had previously pushed for discussions to begin even sooner.

“We do not rule out such a possibility. That is to say, we cannot rule out the month of October.”

US mediation and diplomatic timeline

American-led diplomatic efforts to halt Russia's full-scale offensive in Ukraine broke off in February 2026 when war began in the Middle East. Diplomatic activity resumed when US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Moscow before visiting Kyiv for the first time. On Friday, 11 September, Kushner addressed the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv via videoconference to discuss the progress of their mission. He told attendees that he hoped to outline the next steps within a matter of weeks. Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, 8 September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was counting on negotiations between Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington to resume in September to address the conflict, which has lasted more than four and a half years.

Territorial disputes and summit conditions

Earlier negotiation rounds between Russian and Ukrainian delegations produced narrow agreements, limited largely to prisoner swaps and the return of bodies. Core political and military talks remain deadlocked over Ukrainian territories partially occupied by Russian forces and claimed for annexation by Moscow. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told journalists on Sunday that negotiators currently lack any agreed package to serve as a basis for formal talks. Ushakov stated that while negotiators agree on the need to resolve territorial issues, numerous other disputes remain unresolved. In parallel, Zelensky expressed readiness to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December. The Kremlin dismissed that proposal on Saturday, 12 September, telling Agence France-Presse that such a meeting was impossible outside of Moscow.

Continued strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure

While diplomatic discussions proceed, Russian forces have continued conducting strikes across Ukrainian territory. On Sunday, 13 September, a Russian drone struck a passenger train travelling from Kyiv to Warsaw near the Polish border. Poland's rail carrier, PKP Intercity, reported that 206 passengers were on board at the time of the attack, confirming that no injuries or fatalities resulted from the impact. Ukrainian railway officials described the incident as part of an ongoing systemic attack directed at the country's rail infrastructure. Zelensky stated that Moscow deliberately targeted the passenger train during its transit. In the southern port city of Odesa, Russian strikes on Sunday morning wounded at least five people.