Zelenskyy sets November date for three-way peace talks

Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that a trilateral meeting between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow will take place in November. The summit aims to restart peace negotiations that have stalled. Zelenskyy stated in an interview that Ukraine is prepared to discuss territorial issues at the leadership level. He noted that other technical matters will be handled by dedicated working groups.

The Ukrainian president reiterated his demand for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy believes Putin is the only Russian leader capable of making the major decisions required to end the war. The November talks will focus on resolving the conflict without Ukraine agreeing to strict limits on its armed forces. Kyiv also intends to reject any enforced postwar neutrality, a position that has long complicated its bid for North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership.

Zelenskyy reported that US warnings about imminent Russian ballistic missile strikes have been fully restored. He cited a meeting with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo as a key factor in this development. The president told TSN television that SpaceX’s Starshield satellite internet service had been operating at speeds of up to 420 kilometers per hour since early Saturday. This service had been slowed earlier in October under diplomatic pressure from Washington.

Washington has urged Ukraine to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries, arguing that such strikes drive up global energy prices. Zelenskyy maintained that Kyiv will only halt these operations if Moscow stops targeting Ukrainian power infrastructure. Alternatively, the US could allow Ukraine to use Starshield over Russian territory to detect ballistic missile launch sites. Another option is for the US to supply Ukraine with Patriot missile systems.

The intensity of the conflict remains high despite diplomatic efforts. Zelenskyy wrote in an online post that Russia launched nearly 2,300 strike drones at Ukraine over the past week. He also cited the launch of about 1,600 guided bombs and 48 missiles of various types, including ballistic missiles. The Ukrainian president renewed his call for Western allies to accelerate the delivery of interceptor systems.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed on Sunday that its drones struck a cargo vessel bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk during an overnight attack. The ministry reported that a second cargo vessel en route to the port of Odesa was also hit during the day. Russian forces asserted that both vessels were being used to supply the Ukrainian army. The ministry stated that Russian forces also targeted a logistics center, a distribution center, and a logistics terminal in Kharkiv overnight. Reuters was unable to independently confirm these specific strikes.

In the Russian border region of Belgorod, a Ukrainian drone attack killed three people and injured 13, according to local authorities. A separate drone strike later in the day killed one more person. Alexander Shuvayev, the regional governor, said the overnight attack damaged 30 apartment buildings in the city.

Political developments in neighboring Bulgaria may influence the region’s stance on the war. A presidential election held on Sunday ended inconclusively, setting up a runoff between two candidates. Andrey Gyurov, a pro-Western reformist, will face incumbent Iliana Yotova, a leftist who opposes military aid to Ukraine. The vote occurred amid security concerns following a series of drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea.

Ukraine enters the November talks with a clear position on its military and political status. Zelenskyy’s administration seeks to secure NATO entry while maintaining a strong air defense capability. The restoration of satellite internet speeds and the volume of recent drone attacks underscore the ongoing military pressure on both sides as diplomats prepare for the summit.