Russia agrees in principle to resume trilateral Ukraine peace talks in November

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to resume trilateral peace negotiations with the United States and Ukraine in mid-November, focusing on post-conflict security arrangements. The announcement followed a nearly three-hour meeting between Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg on Wednesday,.

The discussions included Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yury Ushakov and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who joined via video link after falling ill,. This diplomatic push comes as the Trump administration seeks to end the four-and-a-half-year conflict, following Witkoff’s consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo on Tuesday.

The primary objective of the proposed November talks is to establish a definitive, long-term security system for both nations, rather than a temporary cessation of hostilities. Ushakov noted that earlier trilateral negotiations, which took place in Abu Dhabi and Geneva in January and February, were stalled. The delays were attributed to Ukrainian strikes during Russian parliamentary elections and the subsequent US-Israel war against Iran, which disrupted access to the UAE as a venue.

Beyond security architecture, the St. Petersburg meeting addressed economic ties. Both sides reviewed an October agreement to ease US sanctions on Russian diesel exports, a move Witkoff noted would help stabilise global fuel markets and reduce prices for American farmers,. In a concurrent goodwill gesture, Moscow released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher imprisoned on mercenary charges, following a direct request from Trump,.

Despite the diplomatic momentum, significant hurdles remain regarding territorial disputes. While Zelenskyy stated in a television interview that freezing the conflict is the 'minimum' required to end the war, Putin dismissed the notion of territorial concessions. He asserted that the occupied regions are 'historical Russia' following 2022 referendums that were widely condemned as illegal by the international community. As reported by The Washington Post, the resumption of talks provided the US envoy with positive talking points, but a comprehensive peace agreement remains distant. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre observed that the negotiations may have entered a new phase where Moscow is exploring diplomatic opportunities.

Looking ahead, Ushakov indicated that Abu Dhabi is being considered again as a potential venue for the renewed talks, though Putin has yet to finalise the Russian delegation. With both armies continuing long-range strikes and the battlefield situation remaining largely static, the success of the mid-November discussions will depend on bridging deep divides over sovereignty and security guarantees.