Finance
Russia Says It Hopes for New Round of Ukraine Talks With US as Soon as Conditions Allow
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 26, 2026
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Russia says it remains in contact with the U.S. and hopes to hold a fresh round of trilateral talks on Ukraine “as soon as circumstances permit,” rejecting claims that the war in Iran diverted President Putin’s focus from negotiations, though core issues like territory remain unresolved.
Russia Expresses Hope for New US-Ukraine Peace Talks When Conditions Permit
Kremlin Comments on Prospects for Ukraine Peace Negotiations
MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - Russia is in contact with the United States about a new round of talks on a Ukraine peace settlement as soon as conditions allow, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
Kremlin's Stance on Peace Talks
"We remain open, we are in contact with the Americans, and we are counting on holding the next round of talks as soon as circumstances permit," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Rejection of New York Times Opinion
Peskov rejected the thesis of a New York Times opinion piece that said the Iran war had caused President Vladimir Putin to lose interest in negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict.
Progress in Previous Negotiations
"This is an absolutely false invention that does not correspond to reality. During the rounds of trilateral talks that have taken place, some progress was made toward a settlement," Peskov told reporters.
Key Issues Remain Unresolved
Peskov said Russia had not lost interest in peace talks but added that key issues - including territory - had yet to be settled.
Impact of Global Events on Negotiations
The NYT opinion piece, by Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar, said Russia's economy had been faltering earlier this year, prompting Putin at that point to take negotiations on a Ukraine settlement more seriously.
Effect of Iran War on Russia's Position
However, Zygar said the Iran war had reversed those dynamics by boosting oil prices, easing the economic pressure on Moscow and reducing the U.S. focus on Ukraine, weakening any incentive for the Kremlin to seek a settlement.
Recent Diplomatic Developments
Earlier this week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the U.S. had briefed Russia about Washington's latest round of talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida, which took place last Saturday.
Timeline of Peace Talks
The last three-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. took place last month, before the Trump administration and Israel began airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Anna Peverieri; editing by Mark Trevelyan and Gareth Jones)
Key Takeaways
- •The Kremlin, via spokesman Dmitry Peskov, affirmed ongoing contact with the U.S. and said Russia hopes to resume talks with Ukraine at the earliest viable moment.
- •Peskov dismissed suggestions—made in a New York Times opinion by Mikhail Zygar—that the Iran war has distracted Putin from peace efforts, calling it “absolutely false.” He noted that prior trilateral discussions did yield some progress, while key matters such as territory remain to be resolved.
- •Recently, U.S. and Ukrainian envoys met in Florida, as confirmed by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, and Russia says the last trilateral talks occurred before U.S.–Israel airstrikes on Iran on February 28.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia says it hopes for new round of Ukraine talks with US as soon as conditions allow
1Is Russia willing to participate in new Ukraine peace talks?
Yes, Russia says it is in contact with the US and remains open to holding new talks when conditions allow.
2What has Russia said about losing interest in Ukraine negotiations?
The Kremlin rejected reports that President Putin has lost interest, calling them false and saying talks remain a priority.
3What key issues are preventing a Ukraine peace settlement?
Territorial issues and other major topics have yet to be resolved, according to the Kremlin.
4When did the last three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US occur?
The last talks took place last month, before US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
