The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, will meet with Chinese, Russian and European Union diplomats on Thursday to brief them about the US and Taliban peace talks, the US Department of State said in a statement. 

“Discussion topics include international support for the Afghan peace process, the role each party can play in bringing an end to the war, and progress to date in peace talks,” the statement said. 

The meeting at the State Department will include Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s presidential envoy to Afghanistan; Deng Xijun, his Chinese counterpart; and Roland Kobia, the EU’s special envoy. 

Khalilzad will brief them on his recent talks in Doha, Qatar, with the Taliban, where the United States reported progress but no final deal on a withdrawal of US-led international forces. 

The Taliban rejects direct negotiations with the Kabul government led by President Ashraf Ghani yet. 

The US negotiators are pressing the Taliban to accept a ceasefire and talks on Afghanistan’s political future with representatives of Afghan society, including Ghani’s government. 

But the talks have primarily focused on the Taliban’s counter-terrorism assurances and a US troop withdrawal.