US diplomatic efforts under President Trump have revived interest in Russia-Ukraine negotiations, with envoys meeting Putin in Moscow and Zelenskyy in Kyiv in early September 2026, followed by a Trump-Putin phone call. These produced no breakthrough on core disputes over territory, security guarantees, and ceasefires, though both sides signaled openness to future trilateral talks. Putin has repeatedly stated that any direct meeting with Zelenskyy requires prior expert-level agreements ready for signature, a position unchanged since his June 2026 rejection of an unconditional summit. Zelenskyy has expressed willingness for talks, including at the December G20, but no in-person encounter has occurred since before the 2022 invasion. Scheduled autumn diplomacy and winter pressures remain key variables for any near-term handshake.