KYIV, Aug 28 - Ukraine's senior presidential adviser said on Friday that talks related to Russia's invasion will probably take place in the near future but emphasized that these will be largely technical and preparatory rather than a route to an immediate settlement.
In an interview for the YouTube project "Moseichuk+", Kyrylo Budanov said:
"I think everyone will see the negotiations happening very soon. But this will mainly concern the technical side of things and preparations for something big, which I hope we will eventually get to."
Budanov, who serves as Ukraine's representative in the negotiations, said he did not expect a fast agreement to end the conflict. He described it as "unrealistic" to expect the war to end now when asked whether the fighting could continue through the winter.
The adviser noted that U.S.-backed peace efforts have so far produced no tangible resolution to a war that is now in its fifth year. The most recent round of trilateral negotiations occurred in February.
Both sides have intensified strikes in recent months on logistics networks, port infrastructure and energy facilities, Budanov said. With winter approaching, he added that Russia was expected to renew an aggressive campaign targeting Ukraine's power grid.
On the question of how meaningful negotiations could proceed, Budanov said Ukraine and Russia must reach a point where each side is prepared to move toward the other simultaneously. Kyiv, he said, is open to such a reciprocal step.
He also offered a direct assessment of Russia's stance in the talks:
"And as of now, the Russian Federation - and I'm telling you this as someone who is deeply involved in this process - is saying outright, 'we might want to but no'."
The adviser outlined Russia's principal demand as a Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern Donbas region, territory Moscow has not fully captured since the start of the full-scale invasion more than four years ago. Kyiv has consistently stated it will not cede land that remains under its control.
Context and implications
Budanov framed the near-term diplomatic trajectory as procedural - focused on technical preparations rather than immediate political concessions. He highlighted both the persistence of hostilities and the practical concerns posed by intensified attacks on vital infrastructure, particularly as colder weather approaches.