Russia Agrees to Ukraine Talks: Putin Backs Three-Way Sessions in November

Russia has agreed to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month, marking a potential breakthrough in efforts to halt the conflict in Ukraine. A Kremlin official confirmed that President Vladimir Putin authorized the restart of talks scheduled to begin after November 10. This move could establish the first session of this specific format since earlier this year.

The decision followed a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, which lasted approximately three hours. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, told reporters that the discussions will center on building a security system for both Russia and Ukraine once the conflict concludes. Witkoff joined the meeting alongside U.S. officials, while Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev was also present. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, participated in the conversation via video link.

The proposal for renewed talks emerged after a series of diplomatic engagements this week. Witkoff had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo, Norway, prior to his session with Putin. Ukrainian officials have expressed support for the push from Washington to restart negotiations quickly. In an audio message released late Wednesday, Zelenskyy stated that the agenda is clear: to end the war, bring peace closer, and prepare for a potential meeting at the leaders’ level.

Negotiations between the three nations took place earlier this year, with sessions held in Abu Dhabi during January and February, followed by talks in Geneva in February. However, little progress was reported beyond exchanges of prisoners of war, as Moscow and Kyiv maintained their longstanding basic demands. While Ushakov noted that proposals discussed in Oslo contained little of real value regarding the resolution of the crisis, he later told Russian state TV that although Moscow is not fully satisfied with them, they represent a step in the right direction.

The proposed talks come as U.S. President Donald Trump presses Kyiv to reach an agreement. At the White House, Trump stated that the United States has provided significant support to Ukraine but has received nothing back except grief, death, and monetary loss. He emphasized the importance of Zelenskyy making a deal. Amid these diplomatic maneuvers, violence continues on the ground. Overnight Russian attacks in Kyiv resulted in deaths and injuries, with energy facilities targeted in the capital and three other cities. Outside Kharkiv, drone explosions in a residential area also caused casualties.

In other developments, Russia released a retired American teacher imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Witkoff suggested this appeared to be a goodwill gesture from the Kremlin after Trump requested the release of Stephen Hubbard. Additionally, Putin met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was in St. Petersburg for talks with other Russian officials. The leaders also discussed the possibility of a meeting next month involving the Russian, Chinese, and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China.