Kyiv talks put US-Ukraine trilateral peace format back on the table

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine and the United States held three rounds of talks in Kyiv focused on air defense, winter energy security, long-term guarantees and the possible revival of a trilateral negotiation format involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia.

US President Donald Trump’s representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spent September 6 in the Ukrainian capital, where they met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s negotiating team and representatives of European countries.

The meetings followed the US envoys’ consultations in Moscow and formed part of Washington’s renewed effort to establish a framework for negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Three rounds of talks held in Kyiv

Zelenskyy said three rounds of negotiations took place during the day, with discussions expanding to include European representatives.

Speaking after the meetings, the Ukrainian president thanked Witkoff and Kushner for travelling to Kyiv and jokingly compared their presence in the capital to Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems.

“Today you worked even better than the Patriot systems for our citizens in the capital,” Zelenskyy said.

He immediately stressed, however, that Patriot systems remained a serious strategic requirement for Ukraine.

The president said air defense was one of the major issues discussed with the American delegation, particularly Ukraine’s limited ability to intercept ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy also said he expected upcoming meetings in Norway and Canada to address several remaining defense needs.

Ukraine has been expanding its domestic capacity to counter newer aerial threats. According to Zelenskyy, around 67 Ukrainian companies are now working on technologies designed to intercept jet-powered drones, with several already demonstrating results.

He described those systems as an additional layer of protection while emphasizing that diplomacy remained Kyiv’s preferred way to reduce escalation.

Winter package and energy security discussed

Preparing for another possible winter of war was another central topic.

Zelenskyy said that if fighting continues through the winter — which he suggested currently remains a realistic possibility — Ukraine will need additional support from both the United States and European partners.

Kyiv is seeking what officials describe as a winter support package, including strengthened air defense and assistance for energy infrastructure that could again become a target during the colder months.

The Ukrainian side also discussed energy supplies and broader measures designed to keep the country functioning if attacks on power generation and transmission facilities intensify.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and allied teams had assessed the country’s capabilities positively but acknowledged that anti-ballistic defense remains one of Ukraine’s weakest areas.

US production of anti-ballistic missiles is expected to increase next year, and Kyiv hopes that greater output will translate into additional systems and interceptors for Ukraine.

Witkoff says Washington wants tangible results

Steve Witkoff said Trump had personally asked the US delegation to visit Ukraine as part of an effort to restart serious negotiations.

According to the US envoy, Washington regards the process as a priority and wants it to produce a concrete outcome rather than another round of inconclusive diplomacy.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Kyiv after meetings in Moscow with Russian officials, including Vladimir Putin.

Their task is effectively to compare the positions presented by the Russian and Ukrainian sides and determine whether there is sufficient common ground for another formal negotiating round.

No immediate breakthrough was announced following the Kyiv meetings.

However, both the Ukrainian and American sides indicated that the discussions produced several new ideas that will now require further analysis.

Zelenskyy said some of the proposals should not yet be discussed publicly because the parties want to preserve the possibility of achieving a result before exposing the details to wider political debate.

Kushner backs return to trilateral talks

Jared Kushner said Trump had instructed the delegation to work not merely toward stopping the current fighting but toward creating conditions for a durable peace settlement.

He said he and Witkoff believe a return to the US-Ukraine-Russia trilateral format could be more productive than separate channels of communication.

The format had been attempted around six months earlier.

According to Kushner, the American team has discussed the proposal with both sides and hopes it can soon be revived.

The advantage, he argued, is that all parties would be able to communicate within one negotiating framework rather than relying entirely on intermediaries carrying proposals between capitals.

Kushner also described Trump’s approach as influenced by his business background, saying the US president is seeking a framework in which the parties can identify outcomes that serve their respective interests.

He contrasted that approach with war, which he described as producing losses for all sides.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine supports efforts to organize trilateral meetings but added that it remains unclear what format Russia would ultimately accept.

Donbas remains among the hardest issues

Territory remains one of the most difficult elements of any potential settlement.

Zelenskyy said the question of Donbas cannot be treated as an isolated regional issue because it is closely connected to the origins, objectives and continuation of the wider war.

He described the conflict as both a war of survival and a war of attrition, with territory remaining one of Russia’s principal objectives.

The Ukrainian president said the most difficult political questions can ultimately be resolved only at the level of national leaders.

Kyiv has repeatedly argued that security arrangements must prevent another war rather than simply pause the current one.

Ukraine also wants its armed forces to remain capable of defending the country under any post-war settlement.

Zelenskyy said recent battlefield developments have strengthened Ukraine’s position and given Kyiv greater confidence ahead of any future negotiations.

However, no territorial compromise or ceasefire arrangement was announced after the meetings.

Security guarantees and post-war framework also on agenda

The discussions extended beyond immediate military issues.

The delegations examined possible security guarantees, economic guarantees and a post-war recovery framework.

For Kyiv, security guarantees remain crucial because Ukrainian officials want any settlement to include mechanisms capable of deterring future aggression.

The United States, meanwhile, appears to be attempting to combine military, economic and diplomatic elements into a broader peace package.

Kushner said Trump’s objective is to establish a framework in which long-term stability becomes possible rather than simply achieving a temporary halt in hostilities.

The sides are also expected to continue discussions with European partners, whose participation remains central to Ukraine’s defense, economic support and future reconstruction.

New diplomatic round could follow in coming weeks

Zelenskyy said Ukraine, the United States and European partners will have opportunities during the coming weeks to discuss the new ideas raised in Kyiv in greater detail.

The next meeting could take place in Ukraine, another European country or the United States.

The Ukrainian president said Kyiv wants to accelerate diplomacy while simultaneously strengthening its defenses in case negotiations do not produce an immediate result.

He described diplomacy as “Plan A”, while continued investment in domestic air defense and drone interception capabilities represents an essential fallback if the war continues.

The Kyiv talks therefore ended without a formal peace agreement, a ceasefire date or an announced trilateral summit.

Their immediate significance lies instead in the revival of intensive diplomacy: US representatives have now held direct consultations with both Moscow and Kyiv, while Ukraine, the United States and European partners are preparing to examine several new proposals.

Whether that process leads to a renewed US-Ukraine-Russia negotiating format will depend on the positions taken by the respective governments in the coming days and weeks.

WiseNewsPress.com