The key facts

  • Zelensky's adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said Kyiv can no longer confirm the visit to Brussels due to changes in the American side's plans.
  • Zelensky previously said a meeting involving the US and Ukrainian presidents, the EU and the NATO Secretary General was planned for October 27 or 28.
  • The next round of talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia is planned for the first half of November; Abu Dhabi was mentioned as a possible venue, but the date and location are unconfirmed.

Brussels meeting not confirmed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's planned visit to Brussels this week for talks with the US, the EU and NATO has reportedly been cancelled. Zelensky's communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists on Monday that Kyiv can no longer confirm the visit due to changes in the American side's plans.

What was planned

On Sunday, according to Zelensky's remarks to Ukrainian media, the talks were scheduled for October 27 or 28: representatives of Ukraine, the US and the EU were expected to take part, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. In response to a Euronews inquiry, the European Commission said it continues to take part in talks with allies and partners for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, but had no further information at this time.

Background: talks in Oslo

The Brussels meeting was meant to continue a series of diplomatic discussions in Oslo last week, including Zelensky's talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff with the participation of Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. According to Zelensky, the broader discussions also involved national security advisers to the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Italy, together with Björn Seibert, head of cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The US then briefed partners on the outcome of Witkoff's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg.

Next round — in November

The developments come ahead of another round of talks between the Ukrainian, American and Russian teams, which, according to Zelensky, is planned for the first half of November. Abu Dhabi was mentioned as a possible venue, but the date and location have not yet been confirmed. Editorial note: the cancellation of the Brussels meeting while the November round remains in place suggests a reshaping of the consultation format, but the exact reasons for the changes in the American side's plans are not disclosed in available reports.

Why it matters

The collapse of the meeting at the level of the US and Ukrainian presidents, the EU and the NATO Secretary General affects everyone following the settlement process around Ukraine, since it was in this format that security guarantees and EU involvementwere discussed, as Zelensky himself described them. In practical terms, this means the schedule of diplomatic contacts remains uncertain: only the tentative November round of talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia has been confirmed so far, and its venue and date are yet to be announced.