Russia Agrees to Three-Way Meeting with US and Ukraine on War

Russia has agreed to resume trilateral talks with the United States and Ukraine, according to reports confirmed by Moscow and Washington. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to brief Ukraine's Western partners in Oslo on his discussions with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin stated that President Putin expressed willingness for new trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv during his meeting with Witkoff in Saint Petersburg. Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, noted that the proposals from Europeans and Ukraine, conveyed by Witkoff, "did not contain much substance." However, Moscow is "in principle" prepared to restart negotiations with Ukraine and the US in mid-November.

The White House confirmed that Kyiv and Moscow have accepted the proposal for another meeting at a technical level. In an interview with Fox News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also indicated his readiness to freeze the front lines.

Ushakov suggested that given the ongoing four-and-a-half-year conflict, the talks should focus on "the main topic": "The topic concerns the construction of a security system for Russia and Ukraine," he said. Ushakov mentioned a possible date after November 10th and suggested Abu Dhabi as a potential location.

Previous trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine were held in Geneva in February, with two prior meetings taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Witkoff Delivered Peace Proposals to Putin

Following his meetings with Ukrainians and Europeans in Oslo on Tuesday, Witkoff presented Putin with new proposals to end Russia's war against Ukraine on Wednesday morning. The meeting at the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg lasted three hours, according to the Kremlin.

Ushakov relayed that Witkoff reported "some new approaches from the Europeans and Kyiv," but added, "these nuances, to put it that way, do not completely satisfy us." He did not provide details on the revised positions but responded to a question about a potential end to the war by saying, "I don't know how close we are to it, but it's heading that way."

At the start of the meeting, Putin announced the release of an American citizen sentenced to a lengthy prison term in 2024 for allegedly fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russian troops as a mercenary. Putin stated that Stephen Hubbard was already at Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg. Witkoff thanked Putin for the release of the man over seventy years old, expressing relief for Hubbard's family and Americans.