Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to restart three-way peace negotiations with Ukraine and the United States in November, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said on 21 October.
The announcement followed nearly three hours of discussions in St Petersburg with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who delivered proposals developed during negotiations with Ukrainian and European representatives in Oslo.
Ushakov said the proposed talks could begin around 10 November and would examine security arrangements for both Russia and Ukraine after the war.
The Kremlin remained cautious about the diplomatic proposals, however. Ushakov said the ideas presented following the Oslo meetings contained little that Moscow considered useful for settling the conflict, although he subsequently described them as a step in the right direction.
A return to negotiations would bring the three countries back to the table for the first time since February, when earlier US-mediated discussions failed to resolve their disagreements over territory and security.
Ukraine and Russia remain divided over the conditions for ending the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Witkoff arrived in Russia after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials in Norway on 20 October. Those discussions covered security guarantees, territorial questions and Ukraine's economic recovery.
The American envoy said he had brought documents setting out possible approaches to a settlement and wanted Moscow to examine them before further negotiations.
According to Axios, a US official said both Ukraine and Russia had accepted an American proposal to resume technical-level negotiations.
The proposed meetings could take place in Abu Dhabi, according to the Kremlin, although no final arrangements have been announced.
Zelensky has called for direct negotiations involving himself, Putin and US President Donald Trump, arguing that a meeting between national leaders is necessary to overcome the diplomatic deadlock.
In an interview broadcast on 21 October, Zelensky said freezing the fighting was the minimum step needed to move towards ending the war.
Russia continues to demand control of the entire eastern Donetsk region, guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO and a comprehensive settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Previous trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi and Geneva achieved limited progress, primarily involving prisoner exchanges.
Iran and economic cooperation enter discussions
The St Petersburg meeting also addressed the conflict involving Iran, with Putin offering Russian assistance in pursuing a diplomatic settlement between Washington and Tehran.
The Russian president referred to Moscow's longstanding relationship with Iran and said diplomatic opportunities for reaching an agreement had not been exhausted.
The discussion took place as Russia and the United States explored restoring economic ties despite their wider disagreements over Ukraine.
Putin raised the possibility of supplying substantial quantities of fertiliser to American markets. The two sides also discussed the recent agreement involving Russian diesel exports to the United States.
Witkoff thanked Moscow for its decision on diesel supplies, saying the arrangement could help reduce costs for American farmers and transport operators.
The meeting included Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner participated remotely.
Russia also released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher imprisoned after Russian authorities accused him of fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.
Trump said Hubbard was returning to the United States without a prisoner exchange, following an earlier request to Putin for his release.
The talks additionally covered the possibility of a meeting involving Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China in November.
No ceasefire was announced following the St Petersburg discussions, and the three governments have not publicly agreed on the terms of a peace settlement or a confirmed date for the next negotiating round.
