Kremlin Accepts Three Way Talks on Ukraine War

More than four and a half years have passed since the war in Ukraine began. Now, a new round of peace talks is on the horizon. Russia has agreed to resume three way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv. These talks are scheduled to start after November 10. The move follows a significant meeting in St. Petersburg between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The path to this agreement has been slow. Earlier this year, representatives from the three countries met twice in Abu Dhabi in January and February. They also held talks in Geneva in February. However, little progress was made beyond exchanging prisoners of war. Both sides stuck to their core demands. Recently, U.S. officials met with European leaders in Oslo. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said those proposals contained little real value. Yet he later noted they are a step in the right direction.

The latest discussions in St. Petersburg lasted about three hours. Witkoff and Putin met at the Constantine Palace. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev was also present. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son in law, joined the discussion by video link. The U.S. side shared progress from their talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway the day before. They proposed a technical level meeting for the three nations. They also discussed a postwar economic plan and European security.

Zelenskyy voiced support for the push to restart talks swiftly. He stated that the agenda is clear: to end the war and prepare for a leaders level meeting. He noted that Russia has said it is ready to meet in various formats. He expressed hope that this time will be different after previous cancellations. Shortly after his message, a missile alert sounded over Kyiv. Loud explosions were heard in the capital. This highlighted the ongoing reality of the conflict.

President Donald Trump has been pressing Kyiv to make a deal. Relations between the two leaders have soured recently. At the White House on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that the U.S. wants Zelenskyy to agree to a settlement. He argued that the U.S. has given a lot to Ukraine but received grief and monetary loss in return. Trump warned that if a deal is not reached, it will be a very bad thing. Zelenskyy responded by saying Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings about incoming missiles.

The talks in St. Petersburg also covered broader diplomatic issues. Putin said he is ready to consider restoring economic ties with the U.S. Ushakov said large scale joint economic projects were discussed in detail. Some of these projects are nearing the implementation stage. The two leaders also discussed the U.S. led conflict with Iran. Moscow expressed readiness to use its relationship with Tehran to help bring peace. They also talked about a possible meeting between Russian, Chinese, and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China next month.

In a gesture of goodwill, Russia released a retired American teacher named Stephen Hubbard. He had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Witkoff said this appeared to be a response to Trump’s request. Putin also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in St. Petersburg. The two countries have cultivated close ties. Last month, they jointly vetoed a U.N. proposal for experts to monitor sanctions on Iran.

After his trip to Russia, Witkoff returned to Oslo for further consultations. He met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the airport. The meeting lasted just over an hour. Støre suggested that the parties may have entered a new phase where Russia is looking for diplomatic opportunities. He expects the new talks to happen in mid November. When asked about borders, Støre noted that Ukraine may not formally accept the current front line as a permanent border, but it is a matter of living with it.

The coming weeks will determine if these talks yield results. The U.S. is pushing for a swift resolution. Russia has agreed in principle to participate. Ukraine is ready to engage. The focus will be on building a security system for the region after the conflict ends. As missile alerts continue to sound in Kyiv, the world watches to see if diplomacy can finally outpace the fighting. The next step is a technical level meeting in November.

The outcome of these negotiations could reshape the landscape of the war. If the technical talks succeed, it may lead to a leaders level summit. If they fail, the pressure on Zelenskyy will likely increase. For now, the door is open. The three sides have agreed to sit down and talk. It is the first such opportunity since February. All eyes are on November 10.