Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated tri-lateral peace talks with Ukraine as early as November 10, the Kremlin has said, following a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
The proposed negotiations, which could take place in Abu Dhabi, would focus on security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine after the war ends.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that the talks would be held at a technical level, adding that preparations were under way for a possible resumption after months without US-mediated negotiations.
The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, the ninth time the pair had met in person, lasted nearly three hours. It began with Russia releasing Stephen Hubbard, a retired American schoolteacher detained in the country, following a request from US President Donald Trump.
The meeting came as Washington intensifies efforts to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
However, Moscow indicated that differences remained over proposals discussed during Witkoff’s earlier meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European leaders and representatives of NATO in Oslo.
Witkoff reportedly told Putin that the discussions had shown “some degree of momentum”, while a US official said Ukraine had presented new ideas and proposals.
Ushakov, however, said Russia was not satisfied with some aspects of the discussions.
“These nuances, so to speak, do not entirely satisfy us,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Russia and Ukraine remain divided over the terms of a possible peace agreement, with Putin showing little indication that he would abandon his key demands.
Moscow wants full Russian control of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk and opposes Ukraine joining NATO. Putin has also insisted on a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Trump has increased pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement, warning on Tuesday that Ukraine must end the war or face “a very bad thing.”
Zelenskyy said he hoped to discuss key issues surrounding a possible end to the conflict during a trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin and Trump.
The Kremlin has repeatedly maintained that any direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would require extensive preparation by officials to ensure it produced meaningful results.
Beyond Ukraine, Putin used Wednesday’s meeting to propose cooperation with Washington on Iran and agricultural supplies.
The Russian president told Witkoff that Moscow could help the US address concerns about Tehran’s nuclear programme, citing Russia’s longstanding relationship with Iran.
The Kremlin said Putin believed a deal with Tehran was both possible and necessary.
Putin also offered to supply large quantities of fertiliser to the US to support American farmers.
The meeting also touched on a possible encounter between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month. The Kremlin said Beijing was preparing for what it described as the first meeting of its kind in history.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special investment envoy, also attended the discussions, during which the two sides considered major joint economic projects, including initiatives that were close to being realised.
Witkoff said he had brought documents containing ideas for a potential peace agreement for Putin to review. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also conveyed proposals to the Russian president by telephone during the meeting.
The latest diplomatic push comes as relations between Washington and Kyiv face renewed strain over military support and intelligence sharing.
Ukraine has complained of disruptions to some intelligence-sharing arrangements and its access to the Starshield military satellite system following a diesel export deal between the US and Russia earlier this month.
Zelenskyy said Tuesday’s meeting in Oslo had produced an agreement to resolve those issues.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, that billionaire Elon Musk had ordered a slowdown in a military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service used by Ukraine to track Russian ballistic missile strikes.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
Musk has said decisions of that nature are made by the US military or the president. Trump has denied responsibility, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated on Wednesday that Washington had not withdrawn Kyiv’s access to Starlink.
The proposed November talks could provide a fresh opportunity for Washington, Moscow and Kyiv to address the security arrangements and territorial disputes that continue to obstruct a peace agreement. – Agency report.
