U.S. negotiators think Russia may return to peace talks after its parliamentary elections. Zelensky expects Moscow’s rhetoric to change then, too.

Russia has shown a new willingness to resume peace talks, according to the French newspaper Le Figaro and the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, citing sources in French President Emmanuel Macron’s administration. American negotiators conveyed that assessment to Paris.

A source in Macron’s administration told Deutsche Welle: “The main thing the Americans told us is that Russia has shown a new willingness to negotiate after the State Duma elections and that, in this context, we need to prepare for a fresh round of talks.”

The sources also said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position on a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains unchanged: It could take place only at the final stage of negotiations. “Putin is setting conditions that are unacceptable today and will probably remain so, because he is effectively demanding that Ukraine accept all of them before he meets with President Zelensky,” a source told Deutsche Welle.

The source also said he was confident European countries would remain involved in the talks: “As you could see, we were there [in Kyiv, at the talks between Zelensky and the Americans] yesterday, and we are confident that we will continue to be involved.”

Zelensky said today that the parties are moving toward resuming three-way talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, which were suspended in early spring. He gave no details, saying only that Kyiv and Washington had agreed to coordinate preparations before discussing them publicly. The trilateral meetings could take place in Turkey, Switzerland, or the United Arab Emirates, he said.

Zelensky said Ukraine is ready for a “compromise on energy” — referring to strikes on infrastructure — and that Moscow as well as Kyiv must take steps toward compromise.

The Ukrainian president said he believes Russia will “demonstrate strength” with constant air attacks on Ukraine until the State Duma elections on September 18–20. He expects Moscow’s rhetoric to change afterward.

Russian officials have also said they are willing to resume talks following Putin’s meeting with U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday that the Americans’ visit was “one small step toward peace” and that Moscow does not rule out resuming the three-way talks. However, Peskov said it was “too early to talk about the location or exact timing.”

The war in photos: Kyiv

Russian forces resumed airstrikes on Kyiv this morning after a three-day “period of calm” prompted by U.S. presidential envoys’ visits to Moscow and Kyiv. The attack with missiles and jet-powered drones killed two people and injured 10 others. Damage was reported in six districts of the city.