Kremlin agrees to restart Ukraine peace talks next month

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to resume trilateral negotiations with the United States and Ukraine later this month. This development was confirmed by Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s foreign affairs adviser, following a three-hour meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. If the schedule holds, these discussions would mark the first such high-level talks since February, offering a potential turning point in a conflict that has now lasted more than four and a half years.

The proposed talks are scheduled to begin after November 10. Ushakov stated that the agenda will focus on building a security system for both Russia and Ukraine once the conflict concludes. Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who joined the meeting via video, proposed this technical-level meeting and shared updates from their recent discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The U.S. official present described the session as a step toward bringing new momentum to the peace efforts, which have stalled since the Trump administration began pushing for an end to the war last year.

Zelenskyy voiced support for the swift restart of negotiations in an audio message released late Wednesday. He described the goal as ending the war and preparing for a meeting between leaders. However, his tone suggested caution. He noted that Russia has expressed readiness to meet in various formats before, only for plans to be canceled. He added that observers will now see what happens this time, a statement issued just as a missile alert sounded over Kyiv.

Despite the agreement to talk, questions remain about the substance of the proposals. Ushakov criticized the draft emerging from recent talks in Oslo, saying it contained little of real value for resolving the crisis. While he later told Russian state television that Moscow was not fully satisfied, he acknowledged the Oslo document was a step in the right direction. This mixed signal highlights the ongoing tension between the parties as they attempt to bridge their longstanding demands.

The diplomatic push coincides with continued military strikes. Russian forces targeted energy facilities in Kyiv and three other cities early Wednesday. Ukrainian officials reported that overnight attacks left three people dead and twelve wounded in the capital, while two more people were killed in Kharkiv. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 373 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions and the Black Sea.

Washington is applying significant pressure on Kyiv to reach a deal. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he wants Zelenskyy to make an agreement, criticizing the lack of return on U.S. investment in the war. This pressure comes as relations between the two leaders have soured again. Zelenskyy responded by noting that Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings about incoming missiles, a signal of renewed coordination with its partners.

In a related move, Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher imprisoned on mercenary charges. Witkoff characterized the release as a goodwill gesture after Trump asked Putin to free him. The Kremlin also indicated openness to restoring economic ties with the U.S. and discussed a potential trilateral meeting with China at an upcoming economic summit.