KYIV, September 25, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — The United States has proposed holding technical-level trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday, adding that Kyiv was waiting for Washington to suggest a date and had been told the United Arab Emirates could host the meeting.
“The American side proposed preparing for it and holding a meeting at the technical level in a trilateral format,” Zelenskyy told reporters, according to Ukrainian media including state news agency Ukrinform.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv was awaiting a US proposal on when the meeting could take place. Washington had suggested the UAE as a possible venue, he said.
The UAE hosted two rounds of US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, on Jan. 23-24 and Feb. 4-5.
The US has not publicly commented on Zelenskyy’s remarks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said later on Friday that the possibility of a trilateral meeting involving Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives had been discussed during a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Zelenskyy also said he had asked Trump during their meeting in New York on Tuesday to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping and do “everything possible” to encourage Beijing to influence Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Kyiv had not yet received a response from the US on that request, Zelenskyy said. He added that Trump had told him he had made the “final decision” to provide Ukraine with licenses to produce missiles for Patriot air-defense systems.
On separate agreements covering Ukrainian drone cooperation with other countries, Zelenskyy said such deals did not depend on whether a partner was a NATO member. The key factor, he said, was whether the country was a partner of Ukraine.
“When we sign such a deal, it involves not only the sale of drones or missiles but also an exchange of experience,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the arrangements could include deploying Ukrainian specialists abroad or helping protect critical infrastructure.
Zelenskyy said he had also held meetings in New York with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
He said Ukraine had received constructive responses on the need to cover a $27 billion budget deficit, most of which is linked to defense purchases.
“If we don’t place the orders and make the payments in October and November, we will face serious challenges, particularly in January and February,” Zelenskyy said.