Ukraine is pressing for working-level talks before a leaders’ meeting, while Moscow has offered only a broad November readiness window, leaving the next step without a confirmed date.
In an Oct. 23 address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described a sequence that would start with a meeting of negotiators and move to leaders if the teams could not resolve key questions. He said a meeting expected in October did not happen and that another round depended on Russia.
The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on Oct. 21 that Russia was prepared in principle to resume trilateral discussions near Nov. 10. The Kremlin’s account identified security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine after the war as a central subject. EconoTimes previously covered Russia’s stated readiness around Nov. 10.
Zelenskyy outlined his preferred agenda in an Oct. 25 interview with TSN. He said Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiating teams should first work on practical matters, leaving territorial issues for leaders. He called the territory question a “red line” for discussion at that level.
Topics he proposed for negotiators included stopping attacks on energy infrastructure and at sea, restoring grain exports to full capacity, and arranging prisoner exchanges. He also said Ukraine’s neutrality and limits on its military were not open for discussion.
Zelenskyy described NATO membership as Ukraine’s best security guarantee. He also cited bilateral guarantees from the United States and a Coalition of the Willing mechanism as alternatives. After a peace deal, Zelenskyy said he would like Ukraine to retain an 800,000-person army if sufficient funding were available.
Kyiv’s address pointed to an early-November window, while Moscow cited readiness around Nov. 10. Neither statement named a specific meeting day. The public agendas emphasize different matters: Zelenskyy has described ceasefire-related steps and Ukraine’s security position, while the Kremlin has highlighted postwar security for both countries.
