Ukraine prepares for talks with US and Russia, Russia shifts deadlines on Donbas
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said on September 12 that Ukraine is preparing for a new round of trilateral peace talks with the United States and Russia in October. Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to meet Vladimir Putin in person at the G20 summit in Miami. Bloomberg and The Economist report that the Kremlin has shifted its Donbas timeline and is ready for escalation.
Sources
· 9Буданов: Украина готовится к мирным переговорам с США и РФ в октябре
1Зеленский хочет встретиться с Путиным на саммите G20 в Майами
2Bloomberg: Путин перенёс срок захвата Донбасса на конец февраля
3The Economist: Путин опасается казни в случае поражения в Украине
4Зеленский заявил о желании провести переговоры с Путиным до зимы
5Зеленский подтвердил визит Уиткоффа и Кушнера в Москву и Киев в воскресенье
6Кушнер: Трамп хочет не просто закончить войну, а создать условия для долгосрочного мира в Украине
72026 United States–Ukraine–Russia meetings in Geneva
82026 G20 Miami summit - Wikipedia
9Key points
- Budanov said on September 12 that Ukraine is preparing for a new round of trilateral peace talks with the United States and Russia in October, without specifying a location.
- Zelenskyy said he wants to arrange a personal meeting with Putin at the G20 summit in Miami and will travel there if the Russian president attends.
- Bloomberg: Putin has shifted the deadline for full control of the Donetsk region to the end of February, and Russian troops control 79.89% of its territory.
- The Economist: Putin has chosen escalation and is preparing to send 300,000–400,000 people to the front, fearing execution in the event of defeat.
What happened
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said on September 12 that Ukraine is preparing for a new round of trilateral peace talks with the United States and Russia in October. He confirmed the trilateral format but declined to comment on the possible venue. The statement came after visits by U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv and Moscow over the past weekend.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants to arrange a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Miami, planned for December 2026. He said he will fly to Miami if the Russian leader attends the summit, and added that results matter, not words.
Bloomberg reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin now expects full control of the Donetsk region within the next six months, and the deadline has slipped again to the end of February. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Kremlin has shifted the deadline 15 times since the start of the war. Russian troops control 79.89% of the Donetsk region's territory and advanced in August at an average of 2.36 square kilometers per day.
Why it matters
The diplomatic track received public confirmation after the visits by American representatives. Jared Kushner said after the first round of talks in Kyiv that Trump wants not just to end the war, but to create conditions for long-term peace in Ukraine. Steve Witkoff called the conversation "very substantive" and assured that the American side is ready to work as long as needed.
Who's affected
Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are directly involved in the negotiating format. Bloomberg's military data concern the Donetsk region, where Russian troops control 79.89% of the territory.
What to watch
A new round of trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia is planned for October. The G20 summit in Miami is scheduled for December 14–15, 2026. Zelenskyy said he wants to meet with Putin during the summit.
Earlier
- At the G7 summit in France, Zelenskyy said he wanted to negotiate with Putin before the start of winter.
- Zelenskyy confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner would visit Moscow and Kyiv, and called on Russia to stop airstrikes during the negotiation period.
- The first round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi ended without agreement on key disputed points but was called constructive; a prisoner exchange took place.
What's Next
A new round of trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia is planned for October; the G20 summit in Miami will take place on December 14–15, 2026.
Related original articles
- 21h agoБуданов: Украина готовится к мирным переговорам с США и РФ в октябре1news
- 1d agoЗеленский хочет встретиться с Путиным на саммите G20 в Майами1news
- 2d agoBloomberg: Путин перенёс срок захвата Донбасса на конец февраляExclusive.kz
- Aug 31The Economist: Путин опасается казни в случае поражения в Украине1news