In brief
On 31 October 2026, Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that the Kremlin was unaware of any proposed meeting between Presidents Putin, Trump and Zelensky. Trump had earlier hinted at such a talk, while Zelensky expressed hope for a trilateral summit in Abu Dhabi.
In a Moscow press briefing on October 31, 2026, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had no knowledge of a possible three‑way contact involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The statement was made during a routine brief to reporters at the Kremlin’s official press centre, where Peskov addressed questions about international diplomacy and security following a flurry of announcements from the United States and Ukraine.
Earlier that week, Donald Trump announced that he expected to meet with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky ‘soon’, although the president’s remarks indicated the possibility of a non‑in‑person dialogue. Trump’s statement came after a series of meetings between the former U.S. president and Ukrainian officials that raised speculation about a future summit.
In a separate interview with Ukrainian state television on Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped a trilateral meeting of peace negotiators could take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and November 10. The president highlighted the need for a joint effort to negotiate a lasting resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Peskov, who is a long‑time spokesperson for the Kremlin, clarified that he was unaware of any plans or arrangements that would involve a joint meeting of the three leaders. “We know nothing about it,” he told reporters, emphasizing that no confirmation had been issued by Russian authorities. The spokesman pointed out that the Kremlin was not implicated in any initiatives that were still in the early stages of discussion.
Cross‑checking the Kremlin’s statement, an article published on the Italian business daily Il Sole 24 Ore on the same day quoted the same spokesperson saying that the Kremlin is “unaware of any plans to organise a trilateral meeting” between Presidents Putin, Trump and Zelensky. The report also noted that the Kremlin’s position aligned with the Kremlin spokesperson’s earlier remarks in Moscow.
Observers in the international community have noted that these developments could signal a widening of diplomatic outreach by former U.S. president Trump, who has been attempting to re‑engage with Russian and Ukrainian leadership. Analysts suggest that the Kremlin’s lack of information may reflect either a strategic decision to remain in the background or a genuine absence of any formal negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government has continued to pursue a mediation strategy that includes the United States, and the prospect of a meeting at the Abu Dhabi congress centre has been highlighted as a potential platform to launch renewed talks. If the trilateral discussion proceeds, it could represent a significant shift in the diplomatic efforts that have dominated the region since the 2022 escalation.
At the same time, Russian statesmen have signalled that they will maintain engagement with both the United States and Ukraine. The Kremlin’s silence on the subject may point to a lack of consensus within the Russian foreign policy establishment on the possibility of such a meeting, indicating an internal debate over Russia’s role in a possible peace process.
In a final remark, Peskov reiterated that the Kremlin would monitor developments and was open to engaging with the scientific and diplomatic community should a dialogue arise that involved further cooperation between the three presidents. The spokesman’s comments come as the international press continues to closely scrutinise any moves that could reshape the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
