Ukraine and Russia have signaled their readiness to resume trilateral talks under US mediation.
asserted
Ukraine → signal → mediation
"We're preparing.
asserted
We → prepare → ?
For October," said Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian president's office.
asserted
Budanov → say → office
Similar signals came from Moscow: "We do not rule out such a possibility.
asserted
We → come → possibility
We are talking about the foreseeable future," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
asserted
Peskov → talk → future
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner aimed to revive trilateral talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, visiting Moscow and Kyiv in the first week of September.
asserted
Witkoff → aim → September
The last round of trilateral talks took place in January and February 2026 in Abu Dhabi and Geneva, without producing a breakthrough, as the issue of territory control in eastern Ukraine remained unresolved.
asserted
issue → take → Ukraine
Territory remains a difficult subject
Vladimir Putin still demands more territory than Russia currently controls, Kushner confirmed on September 12, speaking online at the YES security conference in Kyiv.
asserted
Kushner → remain → Kyiv
"President Putin [has] laid out his line of what he wants to achieve.
asserted
he → [ → what
If Ukraine wanted to withdraw to that line, then obviously we have the rest of the deal set up and put together.
asserted
rest → want → deal
Ukraine right now does not want to do that," the US envoy said.
asserted
envoy → want → that
The Ukrainian government has indicated it is willing to freeze the fighting along the current frontline in exchange for security guarantees.
asserted
it → indicate → guarantees
Such a step could be supported by 60% of Ukrainians, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducted in summer 2026.
uncertain
step → support → summer
A similar majority of respondents rejected giving up territory that Russia hasn't been able to conquer.
asserted
Russia → reject → that
33% said Ukraine should give up territory that Putin demands.
asserted
Putin → say → that
Russia's air superiority is a problem for Ukraine
Few expect a breakthrough anytime soon.
asserted
Few → expect → breakthrough
Right now, there's a stalemate on the front lines and not much is changing there, but in the air war, unfortunately, Russia currently has a significant advantage," Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political scientist, told DW.
asserted
Fesenko → be → DW
Ukraine is running low on interceptors for Russian ballistic missiles.
asserted
Ukraine → run → missiles
Russia has also stepped up attacks with new jet-powered drones, which fly faster than older gasoline-powered models and are harder to intercept.
asserted
which → step → models
Russian airstrikes are increasingly targeting Ukraine's economy, including warehouses, energy facilities, gas stations and railway infrastructure.
asserted
airstrikes → target → warehouses
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of opening a "Pandora's box" by targeting Russia's economy and fuel and energy facilities with deep strikes since the summer.
asserted
Kremlin → accuse → summer
Ukraine says the attacks are intended to force Russia to the negotiating table.
asserted
attacks → say → table
Ukraine is worrying about the winter
Ukraine's supporters say Kyiv's strategy is working.
asserted
strategy → worry → winter
It's a sign of success," said Jonathan Powell, the United Kingdom's National Security Adviser, speaking at the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv on September 11.
asserted
Powell → say → September
"Of course [Putin] doesn't go straight to negotiations, he tries to escalate in the ways that he can."
asserted
he → go → ways
The West must "keep its foot on the gas" to make Putin negotiate in earnest, Powell said.
asserted
Powell → keep → gas
Such optimism contrasts with concerns in Ukraine about the upcoming winter.
asserted
optimism → contrast → winter
In 2025, Russian attacks on energy infrastructure caused extended blackouts and left people without heating in freezing temperatures.
asserted
attacks → cause → temperatures
"We anticipate a very difficult winter in terms of both critical infrastructure, which is being destroyed every day by Russian attacks, but also in terms of overall economic conditions in the country," said Ukraine's Economy Minister, Oleksandr Kravchenko.
asserted
Minister → anticipate → country
Zelenskyy calls for partial de-escalation
Russia rejected the idea of a ceasefire during the upcoming talks.
asserted
Russia → reject → talks
Ukraine is now calling for a de-escalation of attacks on energy infrastructure and the unblocking of grain exports via the Black Sea instead.
asserted
Ukraine → call → Sea
"What can bring us to any kind of negotiations?
asserted
What → bring → negotiations
What we can achieve," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told DW in an interview aired on September 12.
asserted
Zelenskyy → achieve → September
Political scientist Fesenko says an agreement on grain exports could prove the easier task: "In the Black Sea, both Ukraine and Russia are facing major problems.
uncertain
Ukraine → say → problems
Grain exports have been blocked; ports have been shut down and therefore both sides have a stake in the matter."
An energy truce, however, remains elusive, as Ukraine's vulnerability in the winter gives Putin leverage he would not give up easily, Fesenko said.
asserted
Fesenko → block → leverage
At the same time, the US is increasing pressure on Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian energy facilities.
asserted
US → increase → facilities
"Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," Donald Trump said on Sunday.
asserted
Trump → have → Sunday
That's hurting the world."
asserted
That → hurt → world
A day later, Trump claimed on social media that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an energy truce.
“Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets.
asserted
Ukraine → claim → targets
Russia has agreed to do, likewise!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
asserted
Trump → agree → Social
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
