Ryabkov: Russia-US Talks Possible by Autumn, No Trilateral with Ukraine
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Tuesday that while Moscow and Washington may hold talks on bilateral relations before the end of autumn, a trilateral summit involving Ukraine is unlikely. In an interview with state news agency Tass, he noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could meet on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, with discussions on the organization of the meeting already underway.
Ryabkov explained that while a fourth round of bilateral consultations with the US has been postponed several times, the delays were strategic rather than logistical, as Moscow seeks substantive progress. He underlined that political will could allow groundwork for future steps, saying Russia aims to hold such an event “at least by the end of autumn.”
On Ukraine, he pointed out that Kyiv has yet to respond to a Russian proposal made during peace talks in Istanbul in July. He also criticized US and European positions, arguing that “rabid militarists” are drowning out voices of common sense, while urging Washington not to let “paranoid white noise” from Europe derail dialogue.
Commenting on energy, Ryabkov dismissed US President Donald Trump’s calls for Europe to replace Russian supplies with American ones, saying Russia’s energy sector is ready for competition. He stressed that what matters most is the US administration’s political will to improve ties, a direction reinforced by last month’s meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, between the Russian and American presidents.
