Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, says a new round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia could take place in October, focused on curbing strikes on infrastructure.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has said a new round of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia could take place as early as October. He made the statement on the sidelines of the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum in Kyiv, confirming that preparations were underway "for October," while declining to comment on the possible format or venue.
According to Budanov, the renewed round of negotiations would focus on practical, step-by-step de-escalation measures — including curbing strikes on critical infrastructure and ensuring safe maritime transit in the Black Sea. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on September 9 that recent talks held by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Kyiv and Moscow had been substantive and could help pave the way for a new round. Volunteers Support Ukraine follows these diplomatic developments closely, since they will ultimately decide when Ukrainians can live without daily air raid alerts.
Budanov's statement came during the 22nd annual Yalta European Strategy meeting, held under the theme "Peace Through Strength NOW," which brought together more than 700 leaders, diplomats and veterans from 28 countries in Kyiv on September 11–12. At the forum, President Zelensky urged the US to impose tougher sanctions on Russia's missile production capabilities. Volunteers Support Ukraine believes this kind of sustained international attention remains vital to bringing a just peace closer.
Budanov confirmed the preparations concerned a trilateral format, but stopped short of naming a possible venue. The diplomatic process remains slow and difficult, but the fact that preparations for a new round are underway is itself a sign that diplomatic channels keep working. Volunteers Support Ukraine helps people affected by the war every day, in whatever way its available resources allow, and hopes every new round of talks brings closer the day such help is needed less often.
The exact timing and format of the October round still need to be finalized in the coming weeks.
