Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has denied reports that a direct meeting is being prepared between representatives of the United States, Ukraine and Russia. “So far, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and as far as I know it is not being worked on,” he said Sunday, December 21, responding to a question about whether the Kremlin is familiar with the idea of a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has backed.
Zelensky, who had repeatedly refused direct talks with Russia, announced that Kyiv supports a U.S. initiative to hold a trilateral meeting involving representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. He cautioned he doesn’t expect a breakthrough, but said Kyiv would support such dialogue if it led to prisoner exchanges or helps prepare a leaders’ summit.
Consultations aimed at a possible end to the war in Ukraine resumed Friday in the U.S. state of Florida. On Friday, chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov met with U.S. special envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Representatives of Germany, France and the United Kingdom also took part. On Saturday, Russian presidential adviser Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Florida.
Answering questions about Dmitriev’s trip, Ushakov said he is “in Miami meeting with a number of American colleagues” and will later report the results to Russia’s president. Asked when Russia might receive a final version of a peace plan, he said: “He will return to Moscow, report, and we’ll see. By the way, Americans are celebrating Christmas these days. Probably few people will be working these days.”
He also said changes proposed by Europe and Ukraine to the U.S. settlement plan “do not improve the document” and, in his words, hinder the prospect of long-term peace. “This is not a forecast. I am convinced that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the chances of reaching a long-term peace,” Ushakov said.
