Lavrov: Russia Ready for New Round of Trilateral Talks With US and Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told an ambassadors' roundtable on the situation in Ukraine that Russia has never refused to negotiate and remains ready to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States. According to Russian state news agency TASS, Lavrov said the previous rounds of talks were interrupted not on Russia's initiative, adding: "We have something to say."

The minister also revealed plans to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where events involving foreign ministers are scheduled to take place from September 22 to 28.

History of talks and new plans

Donald Trump's special envoys, who visited Moscow and Kyiv in early September, have already called for a return to trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine, and Russia. Representatives of both Russia and Ukraine have said the talks could resume in October. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Abu Dhabi is a "fully acceptable" venue for the talks as far as Russian authorities are concerned.

Three rounds of talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States were held in January and February of this year — two in Abu Dhabi and one in Geneva — but no talks in this format have taken place since.

Citing sources, American media have reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who visited Moscow in late August, could become the primary negotiator with Russia.