Russia says no current plans for Russia-US-Ukraine trilateral meeting
In short
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there are currently no plans for a trilateral meeting between Russia, the United States and Ukraine, adding that further steps do not depend on Moscow. Ryabkov said no pause had occurred in Russia-US contacts on Ukraine, pointing to a 23 September meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Vedomosti recalled that on 25 September the Kremlin said a possible trilateral meeting in the UAE had been discussed in a Putin-Trump phone call.
Why it matters
The statement rules out, for now, a format that Moscow had earlier indicated could take place in the near future, leaving bilateral Russia-US contacts as the visible channel on Ukraine. It is a procedural signal from a deputy minister rather than a policy announcement, so its practical effect on any settlement talks is not established by the documents.
Key facts
- Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there are no current plans for a Russia-US-Ukraine trilateral meeting. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Ryabkov said further developments do not depend on Russia and that the leadership has repeatedly said Moscow is open to such contacts. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Ryabkov said no pause had arisen in Russia-US contacts on Ukraine, citing the 23 September meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. [ 2 ]
- Ryabkov said contacts in the trilateral format took place in the past and were interrupted by Kyiv, according to a quote cited by RIA Novosti. [ 3 ]
- On 25 September, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the possibility of a Russia-Ukraine-US trilateral meeting in the UAE was discussed in a phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, and that such a meeting could take place in the near future. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether or when a trilateral meeting could still take place. Ryabkov said the question does not depend on Moscow, while Vedomosti recalls Peskov saying on 25 September that such a meeting could happen in the near future; the documents give no date or decision.
- Ryabkov's statement that contacts in the trilateral format were interrupted by Kyiv. This appears only in Vedomosti, cited to RIA Novosti, and is not carried by the other documents.
- Ryabkov's statement that no pause has occurred in Russia-US contacts on Ukraine. Single-source claim reported by Interfax; the other documents do not address whether contacts paused.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports that Ryabkov said there are currently no plans for a trilateral meeting. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports Ryabkov saying there are no current plans for Russia-US-Ukraine contacts and no pause in Russia-US contacts on Ukraine. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reports Ryabkov's remarks and recalls Peskov's 25 September statement about a possible trilateral meeting in the UAE. [ 3 ]
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with attention to the Ukraine settlement, according to Ryabkov. [ 2 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says a possible Russia-Ukraine-US trilateral meeting in the UAE was discussed in a Putin-Trump phone call and could take place in the near future. [ 3 ]