Kremlin backs three-way Ukraine peace talks after Witkoff summit

The long stalled effort to end the war in Ukraine is moving forward again as the Kremlin agreed to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv. A senior Russian official confirmed Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to restart the talks. The meetings are expected to take place after November 10, potentially marking the first such high level contact since February.

Yuri Ushakov, the Russian president's foreign affairs adviser, made the announcement following a three hour meeting in St. Petersburg. Putin sat down with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the region, to discuss the path toward ending the conflict. Ushakov stated that the primary goal of the upcoming discussions will be building a security system for both Russia and Ukraine once the fighting stops.

The timing of the talks aligns with growing pressure from the White House for a swift resolution. President Donald Trump has been pushing Kyiv to strike a deal that halts the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed support for the rapid restart of negotiations in an audio message released late Wednesday. He described the agenda as clear, focusing on ending the war and preparing for a potential meeting between the three leaders.

Zelenskyy noted that Russia has previously indicated readiness to meet in various formats, though previous plans were canceled. He remained cautiously optimistic, saying the country will see what happens this time. Shortly after his message aired, missile alerts sounded over Kyiv. Loud explosions were heard in the capital, a stark reminder of the ongoing violence even as diplomacy resumes.

The St. Petersburg meeting took place just a day after Witkoff met with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo. While Ushakov initially criticized the proposals from Oslo as containing little real value, he later suggested they were a step in the right direction. He admitted that Moscow was not fully satisfied with the outcomes but viewed them as a positive development.

The discussions in Russia also touched on broader economic and security issues. Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who joined via video, proposed a technical level meeting between the three nations. They also discussed a postwar economic plan and European security architecture. Ushakov noted that large scale joint economic projects between Russia and the U.S. were discussed in detail, with some nearing the implementation stage.

In a related gesture, Russia released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on mercenary charges. Witkoff described the move as a goodwill gesture after Trump requested the release of Stephen Hubbard. Meanwhile, Putin met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in St. Petersburg. The two leaders discussed a possible trilateral economic summit in China later next month, a meeting Beijing is already preparing for.

Despite the diplomatic progress, the fighting continues on the ground. Ukrainian officials reported that overnight Russian attacks left five people dead and at least 23 others wounded. Energy facilities in Kyiv and three other cities were targeted. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces struck a warehouse, an electrical substation, and a bulk carrier at sea. They also reported intercepting hundreds of Ukrainian drones over multiple regions.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who met with Witkoff in Oslo, suggested the region may have entered a new phase of diplomacy. He indicated the new talks are likely to occur in mid November. Støre also addressed the issue of borders, noting that while Ukraine may not formally accept the current front line as a border, it may have to live with it.