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President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on April 9 that a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States is expected to take place in the near future. The format is still being finalized - it could be a direct three-way meeting, or a sequence in which the American delegation visits Kyiv first and then travels to Moscow.

This is a significant moment. It would mark the first known trilateral engagement of this kind since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

But before the headlines run too far ahead of the reality, the harder story is worth telling.

What Zelensky Actually Said

The announcement came after a conversation between Zelensky's team and representatives of the U.S. presidential group. An agreement was reached that a meeting would happen soon, but the precise format remains open.

"We agreed that in the near future there will be a trilateral meeting, or there will be a format where the American group comes to us, then probably goes to our neighbors," Zelensky said, using the diplomatic shorthand for Russia that has become characteristic of his public statements.

The visit was already anticipated. On April 4, Kyrylo Budanov confirmed that a U.S. delegation led by presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner was expected in Kyiv after April 12, following the Easter holiday.

The Questions That Still Don't Have Answers

Diplomacy is moving.

Do Not Lift Sanctions on Russia!

The details are not, and Zelensky was direct about what remains unresolved. Three questions stand at the center of any real security arrangement for Ukraine:

The first is money.How will Ukraine's army be financed after the war ends? A ceasefire without a sustainable funding mechanism leaves Ukraine vulnerable from the moment the guns go quiet.

The second is hardware. Air defense systems are in short supply globally, not just for Ukraine, but for European NATO allies and Middle Eastern partners simultaneously engaged in their own security crises. Demand exceeds supply. Who gets what, and when, is not a technical question. It is a political one.

The third, and Zelensky called it the hardest, is deterrence. What will the United States actually do if Russia attacks again? Not in a general statement of principle, but in a specific, binding, credible commitment. Without an answer to that question, any security guarantee is a piece of paper.

These are not negotiating positions.
They are prerequisites for a peace that lasts longer than the ink dries.

What the Talks Mean — and What They Don't

The resumption of serious diplomatic engagement is welcome. Direct contact between American, Ukrainian, and Russian representatives is necessary for any path toward resolution. Ukraine has consistently said it wants peace — a just and lasting peace, built on accountability, not concession.

But the context in which these talks are happening matters.

Defend Ukraine's Territorial Integrity!

In recent weeks, sanctions on Russian oil have been temporarily eased. Russian cargo ships have been quietly removed from U.S. sanctions lists. Sanctioned Russian lawmakers were welcomed into Washington. The EU's 20th sanctions package remains blocked. And Russia has not withdrawn a single soldier, returned a single child, or acknowledged a single war crime.

Engagement without pressure is not diplomacy.
It is an accommodation.
And accommodation, as history has repeatedly shown, does not deter aggressors.
It emboldens them.

The talks that are coming must be built on a foundation of maintained pressure, not on the gradual erosion of the leverage that got both parties to the table in the first place.

Ukraine's Territorial Integrity Is Not a Starting Point for Negotiation

One thing must be stated clearly as these talks approach:

Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are not bargaining chips.

The principle that borders cannot be changed by force is not a Ukrainian preference — it is the foundation of the international order that every democracy, including the United States, has committed to uphold.

What You Can Do Right Now

Diplomacy moves fastest when it knows the public is watching. As the United States prepares to engage in talks that could shape the future of Ukraine — and the future of the rules-based international order — American voices matter.

Tell your representatives: maintain the pressure. Keep the sanctions. Stand behind Ukraine's right to exist within its internationally recognized borders.

The talks are coming. Make sure the right message goes with them.

Do Not Lift Sanctions on Russia!

Sanctions on Russia must remain in place until there is full accountability for its ongoing aggression against Ukraine and respect for international law. Lifting them prematurely rewards rule-breaking, weakens global security, and undermines the credibility of democratic institutions.

We urge decision-makers to: