Kremlin says Middle East conflict could delay Ukraine peace talks

The next round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States could be delayed by the conflict in the Middle East and conditions on the battlefield, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday.

The next round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States could be delayed by the conflict in the Middle East and conditions on the battlefield, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday.

Ushakov said Moscow had not proposed a specific date for the talks, casting doubt on whether they would take place in early November as previously anticipated.

“It will also depend on the situation on the battlefield and the situation in general. You can see the situation now in the Middle East. It just doesn’t allow us to hold it in the near future. That’s my assumption,” Ushakov told journalists, referring to the regional fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Ushakov also said there had been no discussion of including European negotiators in the next round. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have called for Europe to play a role in US-mediated efforts to secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

“There is absolutely no talk about this, nothing being considered,” Ushakov was quoted as saying. “What there is now is an agreement on resuming three-sided consultations with representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States.”

Ushakov said European participation had not been discussed during a telephone conversation on Tuesday between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Moscow has yet to propose a date for the talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped a meeting would take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and 10.