Zelenskyy proposes a three-way meeting with Trump and Putin.
In the midst of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the prospect of a three-way meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been met with significant skepticism.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor in Zelensky's office, recently announced key criteria for evaluating the U.S.-Russia talks. He stated that an "immediate, unconditional, and complete ceasefire" is a necessary criterion for any discussions to take place. If the first point of a ceasefire is not implemented within an hour, Podolyak suggested applying "hard pressure." He made this announcement on the messaging app Telegram.
However, it is not clear what the exact criteria for evaluating the U.S.-Russia talks are beyond the ceasefire requirement. The advisor did not specify what form the "hard pressure" would take.
Zelensky is pushing for the trilateral meeting, stating that "real solutions" can only be achieved in this format. He also emphasized the need for security guarantees and lasting peace for Ukraine.
The proposed meeting has been met with doubts, with many questioning Putin's willingness to meet Zelensky. Putin is expected to impose impossible conditions, such as demanding elections in Ukraine or security guarantees that Ukraine and the U.S. would find unacceptable, making a direct trilateral summit unlikely.
As of late August 2025, Russia’s foreign minister confirmed that no meeting between Putin and Zelensky is imminent because the agenda remains unsettled, despite U.S. former President Trump suggesting talks might be close. There has been no breakthrough in Russia-U.S. diplomatic summits recently, indicating continuing deadlock.
Kyiv expects trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., coordinated with European states. It is not clear which European states are expected to be involved in the coordination of the trilateral negotiations.
All recipients of Russian raw materials should face isolation and loss of markets, according to Podolyak. However, it is not specified what raw materials are being referred to in the statement about isolation and loss of markets.
The article does not provide any information on the current status of the ceasefire or the U.S.-Russia talks. Russia is accused of starting a war against Ukraine, but the ongoing conflict continues to pose challenges for diplomatic engagement.
Despite the challenges, diplomatic engagement may continue at lower levels, such as through shuttle diplomacy by foreign ministers rather than leaders. The prospects for a substantial resolution to the conflict remain slim, but the pursuit of peace and security continues to be a priority for all parties involved.
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The United States' politics and general news outlets have been closely following the ongoing ceasefire discussions in the war-and-conflicts between Ukraine and Russia. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor in Zelensky's office, has set forth key criteria for evaluating these talks, one of which is the immediate, unconditional, and complete ceasefire, with the implication of hard pressure if not implemented within an hour. Despite Kyiv pushing for trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., no breakthrough in Russia-U.S. diplomatic summits has been achieved, raising concerns about the prospect of substantial resolution to the conflict.
