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Zelensky seeks swift new talks with US envoys

Kyiv says it has sent proposals for new discussions on a possible end to the war.

There is news on this story (Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 09:29): New Russian attacks increase pressure on Ukraine’s power grid

Follow-up to: Trump calls for new president of Ukraine Saturday, 10 October 2026, 20:45

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed new talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The initiative follows discussions in which Washington linked an agreement on Russian diesel exports to an attempt to resume negotiations with Moscow.

Zelensky said in his evening address on Tuesday that Ukraine had sent the US side proposals for new meetings and talks. He said those discussions could take place in the coming days. The US envoys Witkoff and Kushner are trying, on behalf of President Donald Trump, to revive diplomatic contact over the war.

The proposal follows talks in the United States between Ukrainian and American representatives. According to Reuters, Ukrainian negotiators were told there that an agreement on Russian diesel exports was intended to bring Moscow back to the negotiating table. According to Zelensky, Kyiv has declared itself willing to hold talks, but wants them not to come at the expense of Ukraine’s security.

Zelensky also linked the new talks to an energy pause proposed by Trump. He said Ukraine supports such a pause only if Russia actually abides by it. On Tuesday, Kyiv again reported Russian attacks on energy infrastructure in and around the capital. Russia and the United States offer differing accounts of the situation.

The US government says it continues to share intelligence with Ukraine. Trump said on Tuesday that Washington was working with both Kyiv and Moscow towards an end to the war. At the same time, he has criticised Zelensky and put pressure on Ukraine to move in line with US proposals.

The new initiative does not yet amount to a formal round of negotiations, and no agreement has been announced. Nor is it clear whether Russia is willing to take part in talks. The US envoys have previously held separate discussions with representatives of both countries, but earlier diplomatic efforts did not produce a lasting end to the fighting.

The development matters to European countries because the US approach has consequences for Europe’s security, support for Ukraine and energy supplies. The coming talks will above all have to clarify what conditions Washington, Kyiv and Moscow would attach to a possible pause and how violations would be established.

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