Kyiv, Washington negotiators to meet in US on Saturday

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This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential press-service on March 19, 2026 shows Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking from Kyiv to EU leaders via video link during a rountable of the EU Summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels. European Union leaders meet in the context of the US-Israeli war against Iran that is consuming the Middle East, and its consequences on energy prices and security. (Photo by Handout / Ukrainian presidential press-service / AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 19 announced the first US-Ukraine meeting since the Middle East war started.

PHOTO: AFP

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  • Ukraine and US negotiators will meet in the US on March 20 to revive stalled talks about Russia's invasion.
  • Talks were paused due to the US-Israeli war with Iran, but Zelensky wants to "end" the pause in negotiations.
  • The US recently lifted some sanctions on Russian oil, which Zelensky stated "certainly does not help peace."

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KYIV - Ukrainian and US negotiators will meet in the United States on March 20 in a bid to revive stalled talks on Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Talks between Russia and Ukraine, brokered and pushed by the United States, have been derailed by the US-Israeli war with Iran that broke out in February.

“There has been a pause in negotiations; it is time to end it,” Mr Zelensky said in his daily address on March 19, announcing the first US-Ukraine meeting since the Middle East war started.

“The Ukrainian team – specifically the political part of the negotiating group – is already on its way, and we expect a meeting in the United States this Saturday,” Mr Zelensky said.

He added that it was “important that there are signals from the American side regarding their readiness to continue working within the existing negotiation formats to end Russia’s war against Ukraine”.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II, forcing the displacement of millions and leaving hundreds of thousands dead on both sides.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy, Mr Kirill Dmitriev, held talks with US negotiators in Florida, including President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Mr Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The discussions in Florida came after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil – imposed because of the invasion – to ease prices as war engulfed the fossil-fuel-producing Middle East.

Ukraine’s Mr Zelensky said last week that the US sanctions relief “certainly does not help peace”. AFP

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