- March 4, 2026
- 11:11 pm
- World News
Negotiations on a possible trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia have been halted for now. The reason is the sharply changed international situation around Iran and the Middle East, which has affected the diplomatic schedule and the security of venues for negotiations.
This was stated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, in his video address on March 4, 2026, commenting on the current contacts between Kyiv and the American side and the prospects of the negotiation process.
According to the head of state, Ukraine continues regular consultations with the USA, but there are currently no necessary political signals for a new meeting involving Russia.
Why negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia are on pause
Zelensky: “There are no necessary signals yet”
The President of Ukraine reported that he discussed the situation with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who maintains direct communication with the American side.
“I also spoke today with Rustem Umerov about his communication with the American side. We continue to communicate with America almost on a daily basis. Currently, due to the situation around Iran, there are still no necessary signals for a trilateral meeting,” Zelensky stated.
Thus, diplomatic contacts between Kyiv and Washington continue, but a full-fledged format of negotiations involving Russia is temporarily postponed.
The President emphasized that Ukraine does not refuse the negotiation process and is ready to resume it as soon as the international situation changes and the appropriate political context emerges.
The negotiation venue is in question
It was previously discussed that the next round of negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia could take place from March 5 to 9.
Abu Dhabi was considered as the main venue. However, after Iran’s strikes on the territory of the United Arab Emirates, serious security questions arose.
For this reason, the parties began to look for alternative locations for the diplomatic meeting.
Among the possible options considered were Turkey and Switzerland — countries that have previously acted as intermediaries or venues for international negotiations.
Prisoner exchanges remain a priority for Kyiv
Ukraine is preparing new exchanges
Despite the pause in diplomatic negotiations, Kyiv continues work on the humanitarian front — returning Ukrainian military and civilians from Russian captivity.
Zelensky separately thanked the structures involved in preparing the exchanges.
“I am grateful to the intelligence, the Office, and all the involved services for the steps to make further prisoner exchanges possible. We are working to bring all our people home from Russian captivity. We hope for good news,” the president stated.
Such exchanges remain one of the few channels of practical interaction between the warring parties.
The international situation around Iran affects diplomacy
The escalation around Iran and strikes in the Middle East region have become a factor affecting not only the security of countries in the region but also global diplomatic processes.
Military events in the Middle East are changing the priorities of international politics, affecting the security of potential venues for negotiations, and diverting the attention of key global players.
That is why the trilateral format of negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia has been postponed for now.
NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency notes that the situation around Iran has already become a factor influencing international diplomacy far beyond the Middle East — including attempts to find a diplomatic way out of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Kyiv, meanwhile, emphasizes: Ukraine remains ready for negotiations, but their conduct depends on security, the international context, and political signals from all parties.