US-mediated efforts to restart Russia-Ukraine negotiations have stalled amid persistent gaps on territorial control and security guarantees. Russian officials stated in early October that no U.S.-facilitated trilateral talks are planned, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted on October 8 that a negotiated settlement remains unattainable given Moscow’s insistence on full control of Donetsk Oblast without further fighting. Earlier September diplomacy produced only an in-principle agreement for potential trilateral meetings, possibly in the UAE, focused on limited steps such as energy infrastructure protection or Black Sea navigation, but these have not advanced. Ongoing Russian strikes, including a major October 6-7 barrage, and battlefield dynamics continue to shape positions, with both sides exploring separate ceasefire tracks yet showing little reciprocal movement toward formal talks.