US Vice President Jay D. Vance reported that Russia has effectively refused to participate in bilateral negotiations with Ukraine in recent weeks, as well as in a trilateral format involving representatives from the United States. According to him, the Russian side is not agreeing to any dialogues that could bring about a resolution to the conflict.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Lack of Progress in Negotiations and the US Position
Vance emphasized that the United States remains committed to achieving peace, but this requires a willingness to engage in dialogue from both sides. He noted that the Russians are avoiding both bilateral contacts with Ukrainians and trilateral meetings that could involve American representatives.
“We remain committed to peace, but it takes two to tango. Unfortunately, what we have seen over the past few weeks is that the Russians have refused to hold any bilateral meetings with the Ukrainians. They have declined to hold any trilateral meetings where the president or another member of the administration could sit down with the Russians and Ukrainians,” he said in an interview with Fox News.
According to Vance, Russia needs to “wake up and accept reality,” pointing to the significant number of casualties and the lack of substantial achievements. He questioned the sense of continuing military operations on Russia’s part and stressed that Washington will continue to work towards achieving peace, hoping for a change in the approach of the Russian leadership.
Initiatives for Possible Negotiations
Earlier, there were suggestions about a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the possibility of trilateral negotiations involving the leaders of the USA, Ukraine, and Russia. In particular, after a meeting with Putin in Alaska in August, US President Donald Trump commented on such an option, but noted that both leaders are not yet ready for direct negotiations.
Several European countries and Turkey have expressed their willingness to serve as a venue for such negotiations, with Hungary and Switzerland mentioned as possible locations.
At the beginning of September, Putin claimed to be allegedly ready to meet with Zelensky in Moscow, but noted that he sees no sense in such negotiations, repeating false claims about the illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government. At the same time, he spoke about the possibility of providing Zelensky with “security guarantees.”
In an analytical review by the American Institute for the Study of War, it was noted that Putin’s statements indicate the Kremlin’s disinterest in a genuine peaceful settlement and create a basis for Russia’s continued refusal of any peace agreements in the future.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated his readiness for a personal meeting with Putin to achieve a peaceful resolution to the situation. At the same time, he categorically rejected the idea of holding negotiations in Moscow, arguing that he cannot “go to Moscow when my country is under rockets, under attacks every day.”