Ukraine is preparing for potential peace talks with Russia in October, according to Ukrainian officials, though Moscow has dismissed the possibility of President Vladimir Putin meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the upcoming G20 summit.
Kyrylo Budanov, chief of staff to President Zelensky, told Ukrainian media on Saturday that the country was readying for new negotiations involving Russia and the United States aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict. He suggested these talks could take place as early as October.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky is "impossible" at the G20 summit, which is scheduled to be held from December 14-15 in Miami, Florida. Peskov reiterated Russia's stance that any direct discussions could only occur in Moscow.
This development follows recent diplomatic efforts by the United States to restart stalled negotiations. U.S. negotiators have visited both Kyiv and Moscow, and President Donald Trump recently held a phone conversation with Putin. On Friday, Trump's special envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, indicated during a security forum in Kyiv that "next steps" for ending the war could be announced within weeks. Kushner and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff visited both capitals over the past weekend.
President Zelensky has previously expressed openness to meeting Putin, stating in June that he proposed a U.S.-hosted meeting during a call with Trump. He also noted that Putin had previously ignored an invitation to meet at a G7 summit in France.
"We have to come. We have to meet, to speak, and make decisions," Zelensky told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle earlier in the week regarding potential G20 summit discussions. He added that Ukraine's current position on the battlefield is stronger than the previous year, creating a favorable situation for negotiations.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues with significant casualties. This past weekend, Russian strikes reportedly killed at least seven people and wounded nearly 60 across Ukraine. Fatalities were reported in the Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr regions, with two people killed at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih. In Zvyagel, a grocery store was struck, killing two. The city of Odesa saw 37 people wounded by a strike on an apartment building.
Zelensky has called on international allies to address Russia's escalating attacks, noting that responses from global powers do not match the level of Russia's actions. Ukraine has also intensified its retaliatory strikes within Russia.
Ukraine's top intelligence official, Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, recently estimated that Russia has a maximum of two years left to sustain its war effort, citing troop losses, dwindling morale, and economic strain. Western intelligence services suggest Russia is losing more soldiers monthly than it can recruit, while Ukrainian figures estimate substantial Russian troop losses since 2022.
According to the Kyiv Independent, approximately 40 percent of Russia's oil-refining infrastructure has been disabled, leading to fuel shortages and export bans. Recent reports indicate Ukrainian forces have struck an oil refinery in Rostov-on-Don and air defense assets. A fire was also recorded at the Ryazan Oil Refinery earlier in the week.
In contrast to diplomatic overtures, Russia has reportedly increased its stock of nuclear warheads over the past year, reaching a nine-year high, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Putin has stated that Russia poses no threat to NATO allies in Europe and has accused the West of considering troop deployment in Ukraine, which he described as a potential war with Russia.