US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on September 8 that a plan to resume negotiations between Russia and Ukraine could be prepared in the coming weeks, describing weekend talks involving US presidential envoys in Kyiv and Moscow as 'substantive' and marked by a 'common openness' to proposals.
'I don't want to be overly optimistic, but I'm also not pessimistic about the possibility that in the next few weeks we can develop a plan of action to resume negotiations and reach a solution acceptable to both sides,' Rubio said.
US President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv on September 5 and 6, meeting with Russian and Ukrainian leadership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on September 8 that a trilateral meeting of Ukraine, the US, and Russia could take place in the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Turkey, or another country. He added that Ukraine wants to hold the meeting this autumn, if possible in September.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon and NATO are urging preparation for a protracted conflict. US Deputy Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby told a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group that the US 'must be ready for a protracted conflict and for Ukraine's needs to persist in the coming months and years.' He noted that Russia is strengthening its armed forces and increasing weapons production. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte backed calls for more support, warning that 'delays simply cost lives.'
According to Bloomberg, US and European officials see the war lasting at least until 2027, as attempts to resume talks with the Kremlin have yielded no results. European officials said Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to intensify strikes on Ukraine as winter approaches, including attacks on energy and heating infrastructure.
At the contact group meeting, it was announced that Ukraine is negotiating the supply of 1,000 missiles for Patriot air defense systems, though most will arrive in the coming years. Kyiv asked allies to provide at least 300 interceptors capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles for the upcoming winter. Germany said it would provide some Patriot missiles from its stocks, and the UK announced funding for their purchase from the US.