Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Kyrylo Budanov, in a comment to the publication Novosti.LIVE, cited by RBC-Ukraine, stated that a new meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations within the negotiation track on ending the war could take place in September. According to him, the negotiation process is currently on pause, but it is planned to be "revived," indicating Kyiv's intention to return the diplomatic channel to an active phase.
Negotiation track on pause, but planned to be "revived"
Budanov emphasized that the current halt in contacts does not mean their closure. When asked whether this is indeed about a meeting of Ukrainian and Russian negotiators, the head of the President's Office replied: "I hope so, yes." Thus, he confirmed that the format of direct dialogue between the two sides remains among the priority scenarios, although the specific date and location of the meeting have not been officially announced.
The role of the American side
Separately, Budanov highlighted the key role of the United States in any potential contact. "Well, and the Americans too. There's no way without them," the head of the PO stated. This is consistent with reports that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is already awaiting the first visit of US President Donald Trump's team to Kyiv, indicating Kyiv's desire to tie the negotiation dynamics to American mediation.
Three key proposals from Kyiv
Recall that recently Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the transfer of new proposals to the US on ending the war and stated that Ukraine, together with international partners, had developed three key points, already agreed with the American and European sides. Among them are a ceasefire, the creation of a free economic zone, and security guarantees from the EU and NATO.
Contradictory data
There are notable discrepancies in the statements of the parties and in assessments of the process. On the one hand, Budanov characterizes the negotiation track as being "on pause," and describes the meeting itself as a hope ("I hope so"), rather than a confirmed event. On the other hand, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reports that it is already awaiting the visit of the American team to Kyiv, which implies a more active, rather than "frozen," dynamic. Moreover, according to Vladimir Putin, Moscow's position is reduced to readiness to talk only "on the basis of realities on the ground," which conflicts with Kyiv's package of three proposals and calls into question the very possibility of converging positions in the foreseeable future.
Moscow's position and diplomatic timelines
In Moscow, they declared readiness to resume peace negotiations, but on the condition of dialogue "on the basis of realities on the ground." Meanwhile, Zelenskyy noted that the diplomatic "corridor of opportunities" for ending the war will last from the G20 summit in December to the end of summer 2027, setting a time horizon for finding a political solution.
