The timing of the next round of three-way talks on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict is linked to the conflict in the Middle East, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying, casting doubt on whether the talks will take place next month as initially proposed.
Ushakov, quoted by Russian news agencies, said on Wednesday that Moscow had not yet proposed a specific date for the talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he hoped that a meeting would take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and November 10.
"It will also depend on the situation on the battlefield and the situation in general. You can see the situation now in the Middle East. It just doesn't allow us to hold it in the near future. That's my assumption," Ushakov told journalists, referring to the regional fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Ushakov also said there had been no discussion of having European negotiators in attendance at the next round of talks.
The leaders of Britain, Germany and France said last weekend that Europe would play a role in US-mediated talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy on securing a ceasefire.
"There is absolutely no talk about this, nothing being considered," Ushakov was quoted as saying. "What there is now is an agreement on resuming three-sided consultations with representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States."
Lifting sanctions
Ushakov also said discussions with the administration of US President Donald Trump are underway on the US lifting sanctions on Russia's flagship investment fund.
He said the head of the Russia Direct Investment Fund, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, was actively pursuing talks on lifting the sanctions.
"This conversation is going on. It has been going on for a while. I don't know what the outcome will be," Ushakov was quoted as saying.
"Dmitriev is active in his contacts, and that's why the issue is under discussion. It already got into the media a few days ago, and discussions are still proceeding."
The New York Times reported earlier in the day that the Trump administration was considering abandoning the sanctions.
Earlier this month, Trump announced that Russia would provide diesel for the US and world markets, temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian fuel. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that a fourth tanker of diesel would depart on Wednesday.
Trump also issued an executive order waiving key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs, including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas, that had been scheduled to go into effect under the legislation known as the Graham Act that he signed into law last month.
