Russia "Aiming to Hold Talks with U.S. to Improve Relations This Fall"

"Trilateral Summit Between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine Unlikely"

There is a possibility that Russia and the United States may hold a meeting to improve relations this fall.

Sergey Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister. Photo by Yonhap News

Sergey Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, stated to TASS News Agency on September 16 (local time), "We would like to try to hold such an event at least before the end of this fall."

Previously, the two countries held negotiations in Istanbul, T?rkiye, on February 27 and April 10, focusing on issues such as the normalization of embassy functions and overall bilateral relations. However, the schedule for the next round of talks has been repeatedly delayed.

Regarding this, Deputy Minister Ryabkov explained that the next meeting has been postponed several times due to organizational, logistical, and scheduling reasons. He added, "The main reason is that we do not want to hold meetings that do not achieve visible progress."

He continued, "It is better for both sides to maintain political will and continue working behind the scenes," adding, "If so, all logistical and organizational issues can be resolved quickly, laying the foundation for the next stage or stages."

Regarding the possibility of a trilateral summit between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine, he said, "If we do not receive a healthy, cool-headed, and rational response from Ukraine to our signals, there is less reason to discuss a trilateral format," indicating that such a meeting is unlikely.

He also assessed that U.S. President Donald Trump is taking a 'common sense'-based approach to resolving the Ukraine issue and has taken a step back from the demands of those who oppose both a resolution and President Trump himself.

He further revealed that discussions are underway for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who will lead the Russian delegation to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York from September 23 to 29, to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.