Russia Says No Plan for Trilateral Talks With US and Ukraine

Sergey Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, has said there is no plan at present to hold a new round of talks in a trilateral format involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine.

According to Russian media, Ryabkov said at the same time that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that Moscow is ready for such negotiations.

He added that contacts between Russia and the United States on the Ukraine issue have not been suspended, and pointed to the Sept. 23 meeting between Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio, saying one of its focuses was an effort to “resolve the Ukraine crisis.”

Ryabkov also said that, from Moscow’s perspective, the central role of the United States in influencing Kyiv as well as European countries is clear.