- Putin agreed to resume US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine.
- Proposed three-way talks in Abu Dhabi focus on security.
- Kremlin: significant differences persist despite current diplomatic efforts.
- Putin offered US Iran assistance, discussed Trump-Xi meeting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine as early as next month, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, following a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. The discussions mark Washington’s latest attempt to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
The meeting, Witkoff’s ninth in-person encounter with Putin, began with a goodwill gesture from Moscow. Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American schoolteacher who had been detained in the country, following a request from US President Donald Trump.
The talks took place amid growing concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that Washington is stepping back from its support for Ukraine. The United States has, at times, withheld real-time intelligence on Russian attacks and disrupted Ukraine’s military communications, raising questions about its continued commitment to Kyiv.
The latest diplomatic push also comes more than two years after Trump promised during his successful election campaign to end the war within 24 hours.
Russia Signals Fresh Round Of Peace Negotiations
The Kremlin said a new round of three-way peace talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States could take place in Abu Dhabi from November 10 or later. The proposed negotiations would be held at a technical level, focusing on how to guarantee the security of both Russia and Ukraine after the war ends.
The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.
However, Moscow appeared less encouraged by discussions Witkoff held a day earlier in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the leaders of Finland and Norway, and European and NATO representatives.
Witkoff told Putin that the discussions had shown “some degree of momentum”, while a US official said Ukraine had presented new ideas and proposals. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, however, struck a more cautious note after the nearly three-hour meeting in St Petersburg.
“These nuances, so to speak, do not entirely satisfy us,” Ushakov told reporters, signalling that significant differences remain despite the latest diplomatic efforts.
Trump Steps Up Pressure On Ukraine To Reach A Deal
Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on the terms of a potential peace agreement, even as Trump intensifies pressure on Kyiv to reach a settlement.
On Tuesday, Trump said it was time for Ukraine to end the war or face “a very bad thing”, underlining his administration’s push for a breakthrough in negotiations.
The Kremlin’s latest announcement offers a possible path towards renewed talks, but the two sides have yet to bridge their differences over the conditions for ending the conflict.
Putin Offers Trump Help On Iran
Beyond the Ukraine conflict, Putin used his meeting with Witkoff to offer assistance to Trump in dealing with Iran.
According to the Kremlin, the Russian president told the US envoy that Moscow had maintained relations with Tehran for decades and had repeatedly offered to use those ties to address American concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Putin said reaching an agreement with Tehran was both possible and necessary, the Kremlin said.
The Russian leader also offered to supply large quantities of fertiliser to the United States to support American farmers, adding an economic dimension to the discussions.
Possible Trump-Putin-Xi Meeting Discussed
The discussions also covered a potential meeting in China next month involving Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Kremlin said Beijing was already making preparations for what it described as the first meeting of its kind in history.
While the details and timing of the proposed meeting remain unclear, the discussions point to a broader diplomatic agenda extending beyond Ukraine, with Iran and economic cooperation also featuring in Putin’s engagement with the US administration.
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