Kremlin Says Russia Ready for Three-Way Talks with Ukraine and US

Russia is moving to resume direct talks with Ukraine and the United States as early as next month.

Kremlin officials announced on Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to restart three-party negotiations after November 10. Yuri Ushakov, who advises Putin on foreign affairs, confirmed the plan following a meeting in St. Petersburg between the Russian leader and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The primary objective of these discussions, Ushakov noted, involves constructing a security framework for both nations once the active conflict concludes.

The St. Petersburg meeting at the Constantine Palace lasted approximately three hours. In addition to Putin and Witkoff, the gathering included Ushakov and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, participated remotely via video link. During the session, the American representatives proposed a technical-level meeting involving the three nations to address the conflict. U.S. officials also indicated the group discussed postwar economic plans and European security matters. While the Kremlin characterized recent proposals from an Oslo meeting as containing little of real value for resolving the crisis, Ushakov later told Russian state TV that Moscow is not fully satisfied with those proposals but views them as a step in the right direction.

The United States has recently intensified pressure on Ukraine to reach an agreement to end the fighting. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told reporters that he wants Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal, stating that the U.S. has provided significant aid without receiving a resolution in return. Trump warned that a failure to reach an agreement would be a very bad thing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed support for Washington's push to restart talks quickly. In an audio message issued late Wednesday, Zelenskyy outlined a clear agenda to end the war and prepare for a meeting at the leaders' level. He also noted that while Moscow has previously signaled readiness to meet, past attempts were canceled or changed, leaving the current outcome to be seen. Shortly after this message, a missile alert sounded in Kyiv, accompanied by loud explosions.

Diplomatic engagement has been limited in recent months. Representatives from all three countries held three rounds of negotiations early in the year, meeting twice in Abu Dhabi during January and February, followed by further discussions in Geneva. Beyond exchanges of prisoners of war, little progress was reported as both Moscow and Kyiv maintained their longstanding basic demands. Efforts by the Trump administration since early last year to conclude the war have not produced significant results. Despite this, officials are keen to bring new momentum to peace efforts more than four and a half years after the conflict began. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, whom Witkoff met in Oslo following his trip to Russia, indicated he believes Russia is looking for opportunities for diplomacy, suggesting the new talks are likely to occur in mid-November. In separate developments on Wednesday, Russia released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Witkoff described the release of Stephen Hubbard as a possible gesture of goodwill. Meanwhile, overnight attacks in Kyiv and other regions resulted in multiple casualties, with officials reporting deaths in Kyiv and near Kharkiv.