Kyiv [Ukraine], October 4 (ANI): Confirming Ukraine's readiness to engage in diplomatic talks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that US negotiators have proposed holding a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia at the technical level by the end of October. 

Speaking during a joint press conference in Kyiv alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine remains open to dialogue aimed at ending the war.

'Yesterday, I spoke with the American negotiating team. Today, the American side is in contact with both Ukraine and Russia and is proposing a trilateral meeting at the technical level by the end of October. Yesterday, I confirmed to them that our side is ready to support holding such a meeting by the end of October. There is no new information here. We are open to the United Arab Emirates or another country proposed by the American side,' Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. 

He added, 'I know they will propose this to the Russian side as well, or may have already done so. We will wait for the response. We respond positively to negotiations.'

The announcement follows a wave of heavy Russian drone and missile strikes targeting critical civilian infrastructure across Ukraine. Zelenskyy detailed the widespread damage and casualties resulting from overnight attacks across multiple regions.

'This morning, the Russians once again struck the Pivnichnyi Bridge in Kyiv with a drone. They attacked an ordinary pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy with drones. Tragically, one person was killed. My condolences to the family and loved ones. In Dnipro, they struck a communications facility. Six people were injured as a result of these attacks,' Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

Describing the relentless scale of the aerial assault, he added, 'Overnight, the Russians launched 135 attack drones against Ukraine, more than 50 of them jet-powered. Kyiv, the Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions came under attack. And among the main targets of these terrorists, as always, are ordinary residential buildings, critical infrastructure - everything that makes up normal everyday life. There are power outages in some communities. Our services are working at the impact sites.'

Highlighting the weekly volume of incoming strikes, Zelenskyy called for international accountability for Moscow's ongoing escalation.

'It is important that Ukraine is not left alone against this terror. This week alone, the Russians have used more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 25 missiles against Ukraine. More than 800 of the drones were jet-powered, and Russia must be held accountable for this escalation,' he noted.

Earlier last week, US President Trump said that he wants Russia and Ukraine to "settle" (the war), amid staggering casualty counts, following a recent bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Speaking to Fox News, Trump emphasised the death toll in the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been going on since 2022.

"Reached agreements on many of the subjects. I want him to settle with Putin, and I want Putin to settle with him. Last month, 25,000 people died. Months before that, 32,000 people died, mostly soldiers... What a shame,' the US President said.

Meanwhile, India has stepped beyond traditional advocacy to actively broker peace and operational agreements between Moscow and Kyiv, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar disclosed during the Munich Leaders Meeting, revealing ongoing discussions on critical issues such as grain and energy exports, Black Sea shipping safety, and potential 'non-attack possibilities.'

Addressing the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, Jaishankar outlined New Delhi's evolving role from urging diplomacy to directly facilitating negotiations on key operational concerns between the warring parties.

'We have been advocating it for many years, and in recent months we have got a little bit more involved beyond advocacy,' he added. 'We have conversations with both Russia and Ukraine in this regard. We are trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea safety of shipping issue, but going beyond that to cover some immediate concerns which both of them have on grain exports, energy exports, non-attack possibilities. Those are ongoing conversations right now.'

India's active mediation efforts have been acknowledged by key figures on both sides of the war.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that India has formally stepped forward to help resolve the conflict, offering what Kyiv considers 'the most comprehensive' peace proposal currently under evaluation.

Speaking at a press briefing, Sybiha disclosed that Kyiv is reviewing four distinct international proposals-including submissions from Turkey, Egypt, and the United States.

'We have four proposals. The most comprehensive is India's proposal. For the first time, India has signalled its willingness to play a role,' Sybiha stated, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.

Similarly, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to bring an end to the conflict, noting that the Indian leader has 'good ideas' for a peaceful resolution.

Prime Minister Modi has consistently reiterated India's principled, humanitarian approach to the crisis, maintaining that dialogue remains the only viable path to lasting peace. (ANI)