The Kremlin has firmly dismissed the possibility of three-way peace negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, casting doubt on a proposed diplomatic format as envoys convened in Miami over the weekend.
Diplomatic Gathering in Miami Amid Denials
On Sunday, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that no serious discussions were underway regarding a trilateral meeting. This statement came as Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami, where Ukrainian and European teams had been gathering since Friday for talks mediated by U.S. officials.
The denial followed revelations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a day earlier. Zelenskyy indicated that Washington had suggested the three-way format, which would have marked the first face-to-face negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv in six months. However, he expressed deep skepticism about its potential for progress.
Zelenskyy's Skepticism and Call for Pressure
While acknowledging the U.S. proposal and suggesting European envoys could also be present, President Zelenskyy told journalists, "I am not sure that anything new could come of it." He instead urged the United States to increase pressure on Russia to end the conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The last official direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian envoys occurred in Istanbul in July, leading primarily to prisoner exchanges with little concrete progress toward ending hostilities. The Miami meetings represent a slight shift, as previous rounds saw Americans negotiating separately with each side in different locations.
Putin's Openness to Macron, But Not to Broader Format
Despite the rejection of the U.S.-backed trilateral format, the Kremlin indicated a separate diplomatic channel might be active. In an interview published Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that President Vladimir Putin expressed willingness to discuss the conflict with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron repeatedly attempted to engage Putin through phone calls in the run-up to and during the early months of the war. Moscow has consistently argued that European involvement in broader talks hinders the process, maintaining a stance that complicates multilateral diplomatic efforts.
The Russian envoy in Miami is expected to return to Moscow to report on the discussions, after which the Kremlin will decide on next steps. The top Kremlin aide also stated he had not seen a revised U.S. proposal to end the war following the latest negotiations.
