Ukraine and Russia could return to the negotiating table in late September, in a process that is expected to be mediated by the United States. The Ukrainian President's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, told The New York Times that talks to end the war could resume in the final weeks of this month.
According to Budanov, the diplomatic process is expected to resume after the parliamentary elections in Russia and a few weeks before the midterm elections in the United States. He noted that a visit to Kiev by US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, could mark the start of a new round of negotiations.
Meanwhile, according to reports by Axios and other sources, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Moscow and Kiev this weekend, where they intend to hold meetings with senior Russian and Ukrainian officials. The Kremlin, however, has not officially confirmed the visit, while spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow will provide information when these contacts take place.
The planned visit is seen as a new attempt by the US administration to revive diplomacy between Moscow and Kiev, after months of stalemate in the negotiation process. Witkoff and Kushner have previously held several meetings in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while a visit to Kiev would be an important development in Washington's efforts to bring the two sides closer together.
Budanov, however, warned that a return to negotiations would not necessarily mean a quick ceasefire. According to him, the conditions for a ceasefire may not be created before the spring of 2027. "Negotiations will sooner or later lead to something. You cannot fight all your life," he declared.
At the heart of any new round of negotiations are expected to be the most difficult issues of the conflict, including territory, security guarantees for Ukraine and political conditions for a peace deal. Russia has previously demanded that any agreement take into account its territorial claims and Moscow's stance on Ukraine's NATO membership, demands that Kiev opposes.
Meanwhile, fighting continues and the situation on the ground remains tense. Just days before the expected visits of the US envoys, Russia carried out a drone attack on the headquarters of the Ukrainian Security Service in Kiev, while attacks and counterattacks between the two countries have continued.
Despite the obstacles and major differences between Moscow and Kiev, the Trump administration appears to be trying to put diplomacy back at the center of efforts to end the war. If this weekend's meetings pave the way for direct contact between the sides, late September could mark a new round of negotiations to end the war.
