Ukraine War: Kremlin Greenlights New Three-Way Talks
Moscow has agreed to restart negotiations with Washington and Kyiv in November, aiming to establish a postwar security framework after months of stalled diplomacy.
By Christopher Singh ·
Russia has agreed to restart direct negotiations with the United States and Ukraine this month. A Kremlin official announced the decision on Wednesday. This move sets up the first three-way talks since February. The goal is to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his consent to the idea. His foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the agreement was reached in principle. The talks are scheduled to begin after November 10. Ushakov explained that the focus will be on building a security system for both nations once the conflict ends. This follows a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing Kyiv to accept a deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he supports this push. He stated that the agenda is clear: end the war and prepare for a leaders' level meeting. However, Zelenskyy noted that Russia has often canceled such plans in the past. He said, "We’ll see what happens this time."
The St. Petersburg meeting lasted about three hours. Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, proposed the three-way meeting. They discussed a postwar economic plan and European security. A U.S. official said Witkoff and Kushner shared progress from their earlier talks with Zelenskyy in Oslo. Putin also said he is ready to consider restoring economic ties with the U.S.
There are still significant hurdles to overcome. Ushakov said proposals from the recent Oslo meeting had little real value. However, he later told state TV that Moscow is not fully satisfied but sees them as a step forward. The previous rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva yielded little progress beyond prisoner exchanges. Both sides have stuck to their basic demands.
Diplomatic activity continues alongside military strikes. Russian attacks on Kyiv and other cities killed five people and wounded at least 23 others overnight. The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted 373 Ukrainian drones. Witkoff also met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Støre suggested a new diplomatic phase may be underway. He added that Ukraine may not formally accept the front line as a border but might live with it.
Other developments include the release of a retired American teacher, Stephen Hubbard. Witkoff called it a goodwill gesture. Putin also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The two discussed a possible economic summit in China later this month. This would involve leaders from Russia, China, and the U.S. The timing of these talks is critical as the war enters its fifth year.
