The United States is reportedly pushing for a three-way summit involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine to revive stalled peace negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Axios reported on August 29 that John Ratcliffe, the Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), recently visited Russia and proposed that President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet directly to discuss a path to peace.
Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on August 25, where he met with Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), and other top Russian intelligence officials. Following this meeting, the U.S. administration conveyed the results to President Zelensky and suggested a three-way summit to the Russian side.
It is reported that Ratcliffe also communicated U.S. intelligence assessments to the Russian side, indicating that the longer the war drags on, the greater the military and economic losses will be. The New York Times noted that Ratcliffe urged Russia to initiate peace negotiations before it is too late, citing the potential for escalating losses due to worsening conditions on the ground.
The U.S. hopes that Bortnikov, who, like Putin, has ties to the former Soviet KGB, can play a role in resuming stalled peace diplomacy. Bortnikov is considered a trusted figure by President Putin.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has proposed a three-way summit. President Zelensky has shown a proactive attitude toward direct negotiations, while President Putin has been less receptive to the idea.
However, it remains uncertain whether this proposal will lead to an actual summit. Ukrainian officials are reportedly skeptical of President Putin's intentions, citing intelligence that suggests Russia is preparing for further offensives rather than negotiations.
On August 28, Paulo Palitsa, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, stated that President Putin had instructed preparations for various scenarios for an offensive in northern Ukraine, identifying Kyiv and Chernihiv as key areas.
Peace negotiations regarding Ukraine have effectively stalled since the outbreak of the war in February. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have engaged with both Russian and Ukrainian sides in recent months, but significant progress has not been achieved. As the U.S. seeks to leverage the three-way summit to restart negotiations, the response from Russia and Ukraine will be crucial.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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