Ukraine's presidential chief of staff said the country is ready to resume three-way talks with the United States and Russia in October, in remarks bearing on efforts to end a war now in its fifth year.

Russian officials likewise referred to the possibility that three-way talks on ending the war could resume in October, describing it as speaking about the near future.

Both sets of remarks amount to statements of intent rather than a confirmed meeting; no date, venue or agenda has been set, and the state of working-level contacts has not been disclosed.

Three-way formats have been floated repeatedly in the past, but actual meetings have been limited. Differences over the form of participation and the scope of the agenda have been persistent obstacles.

Territorial questions, security guarantees and the sequencing of sanctions relief are cited as the central issues. Analysts say which is taken up first shapes the structure of any negotiation.

European governments have maintained that Europe's participation must be assured, on the grounds that postwar security arrangements bear directly on European security.

Whether talks convene is expected to depend on battlefield conditions and diplomatic contacts over the coming weeks. Announced schedules have been postponed before.

The prolonged war has affected Asian economies through grain and energy prices. Whether negotiations advance remains one of the principal variables for commodity markets. (Source: press reports)