Ukraine Aims to Revive Three-Way Peace Talks with US and Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined the primary objectives for his country's delegation ahead of a scheduled meeting with American officials on Saturday, March 21. The central goal is to lay the groundwork for future three-way negotiations that would include a Russian delegation, aiming for a potential end to the war.

"Their main task is clear parameters for extending the trilateral meetings. The second is preparation for the corresponding meetings, readiness of documents," Zelenskyy stated during a press briefing on Friday, March 20. He emphasized a desire for greater specificity in the planning process.

The resumption of talks involving the US, Ukraine, and Russia has been repeatedly postponed. Ukraine is actively seeking to restart them and hopes to secure concrete dates from the upcoming discussions.

The agenda with the US side will also cover the continuation of the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program. Under this NATO-partner initiative, allies procure American-made weaponry for Ukraine's needs, including missiles for Patriot air defense systems.

Furthermore, the Ukrainian delegation plans to discuss a proposed "drone deal" with Washington. This initiative would see Kyiv share its battlefield-tested drone defense technology in exchange for US funding and provision of scarce ballistic missile defense systems.

Zelenskyy stressed the necessity of maintaining close dialogue with Washington, particularly in light of recent decisions by the US administration that Kyiv views as risky. He argued that certain measures increase financial resources and military capabilities for Russia, thereby posing dangers on the frontline.

The negotiations will also involve continued work on bilateral documents related to ending the war, covering future security guarantees and Ukraine's reconstruction.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy announced an upcoming round of talks on ending hostilities, though it will proceed without Russian representatives. On March 13, he highlighted differing positions between Washington and Moscow regarding the date and location for potential three-way talks. While Ukraine was prepared to meet in Miami or Washington, Russia reportedly refused these venues, proposing Turkey or Switzerland instead—options subsequently rejected by US officials citing security concerns.

Several rounds of trilateral format negotiations have taken place in recent months but have so far failed to yield significant progress toward peace.