Kremlin Greenlights Restart of Ukraine Peace Talks

The war in Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year, appears poised for a new diplomatic chapter as Moscow agrees to reopen direct channels with Washington and Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consented to resume three-way negotiations in November, a move that could mark the first such high-level engagement since February. Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s foreign affairs adviser, confirmed on Wednesday that Putin agreed to the talks “in principle” following a meeting in St. Petersburg with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The discussions are scheduled to begin after November 10 and will focus on constructing a security system for both nations once the conflict concludes.

The path to this agreement has been fraught with stalled progress. Earlier this year, representatives from the three nations met twice in Abu Dhabi in January and February, followed by a session in Geneva. However, those sessions yielded little tangible progress beyond the exchange of prisoners of war, as both Moscow and Kyiv remained entrenched in their longstanding demands. The recent push for diplomacy follows Witkoff’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo the day prior. While Ushakov stated that the Oslo proposals contained “little of real value,” he later noted on state television that they represent a step in the right direction, despite Moscow not being fully satisfied.

The St. Petersburg discussions, held at the Constantine Palace, lasted approximately three hours. In addition to Putin, Ushakov, and Witkoff, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev was present, while Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner joined via video link. According to a U.S. official familiar with the private meeting, Witkoff and Kushner proposed a technical-level three-way meeting and shared updates from their earlier talks with Zelenskyy. The agenda also covered a postwar economic plan, European security, and logistics for the upcoming summit.

In televised remarks, Putin signaled a broader willingness to engage, stating he is ready to consider restoring U.S.-Russia economic ties and discussing the Iran conflict. Ushakov added that large-scale joint economic projects with significant cooperation prospects were discussed in detail, with some nearing the implementation stage. In a parallel development, Russia released retired American teacher Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned on mercenary charges. Witkoff characterized the release as a goodwill gesture following Trump’s request.

Zelenskyy voiced support for the swift restart of talks, saying the agenda is clear: end the war, bring peace closer, and prepare for a leaders’ level meeting. However, his optimism was tempered by a missile alert that sounded over Kyiv shortly after his audio message, accompanied by loud explosions in the capital. Overnight Russian strikes killed three people in Kyiv and injured 12, while damaging 10 residential buildings. In Kharkiv, drone strikes on a residential area killed two and wounded 11. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi confirmed that energy facilities in Kyiv and three other cities were targeted.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has intensified pressure on Kyiv to compromise, told reporters on Tuesday that he wants Zelenskyy to make a deal, citing significant U.S. support and perceived lack of return. “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. We’ve gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss,” Trump said, warning of dire consequences if an agreement is not reached. Meanwhile, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre suggested a new diplomatic phase has begun, noting that talks are likely to occur in mid-November and that Ukraine may eventually have to live with a border defined by the current front line, even if not formally accepted.

The diplomatic flurry also includes a potential meeting next month between the Russian, Chinese, and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China, which Beijing is already preparing for. Putin also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during his St. Petersburg visit, reinforcing the bilateral ties that saw the two nations veto a U.N. sanctions monitoring proposal for Iran last month. As the world watches, the next few weeks will determine whether these renewed efforts translate into a durable peace or another round of stalled negotiations.