Trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine consultations will take place after November 4. This was announced by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who noted that the specific dates will depend, among other factors, on the situation on the front line.
"The date will also be determined. It is clear that it will be after November 4," Ushakov said.
Commenting on Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's statement that the trilateral consultations could take place on November 4, the Russian presidential aide stressed: "We have not yet conveyed any signal."
According to Ushakov, the composition of the Russian delegation will be announced later. "Of course, we have the main framework, but I believe the final composition will be formed in the near future," he said.
At the same time, Ushakov assured that at present the question of considering Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store as representatives of Europe in the negotiations on Ukraine is not being discussed.
"For now there is no talk of this at all, and no one is discussing anything, since at present there is an agreement to resume trilateral consultations with the participation of representatives and delegations of Russia, Ukraine and the US," he told journalists, answering the question of whether Moscow could consider the leaders of Finland and Norway as representatives of Europe in the negotiations.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the trilateral negotiations could take place on November 10.
Behind the numbers there is a simple thing: none of the parties is in a hurry to sit down at the table yet, and each is holding on to the timeframe as leverage. Ushakov's formulation — "after November 4" — is broad enough to accommodate both the electoral calendar and the frontline developments that he himself mentioned.
Another thing is noteworthy. Moscow publicly denies that it has conveyed any signal, while Tusk speaks of November 4 and Zelensky of November 10. Three different dates, three different sources — without being coordinated with each other. This looks more like an initial probing of positions than real preparation.
The rest depends on how the Russian delegation will be formed and whether the parties will be able to agree on the agenda before fixing a date.
