Three-Way Peace Talks to Resume in Mid-November

For residents watching the conflict from afar, the immediate change is a renewed attempt at diplomacy. Russia has agreed to restart three-way talks with the United States and Ukraine. These negotiations are expected to take place in mid-November. This marks the first such round of discussions since February. The move comes after a high-level meeting in St. Petersburg this week.

The talks are scheduled to begin after November 10. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the resumption in principle. His foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed the agreement to reporters. The primary goal of these sessions is to build a security system for both nations once the conflict ends. The focus is on structural stability rather than immediate ceasefire terms alone.

The decision follows a three-hour discussion between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. They met at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev was also present. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, joined the conversation via video link. During the session, Witkoff and Kushner proposed the technical-level three-way meeting. They also shared updates from their discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy voiced support for the rapid restart of talks. In an audio message released late Wednesday, he stated that the agenda is clear. He emphasized the need to end the war and prepare for a leaders’ level meeting. He noted that Russia has previously expressed readiness to meet in various formats. However, he added that previous plans were canceled, so observers will watch closely to see if this round proceeds.

The diplomatic push occurred against a backdrop of continued military pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Kyiv to reach a deal quickly. At the White House on Tuesday, Trump stated that the U.S. wants Zelenskyy to make a deal. He expressed frustration with the lack of tangible results despite significant American support. He warned that failure to agree could lead to negative consequences.

Simultaneously, Russian forces conducted strikes on Ukraine. Overnight attacks in Kyiv killed three people and wounded twelve others. Ten residential buildings suffered damage. Energy facilities in Kyiv and three other cities were also targeted. In Kharkiv, drone explosions in a residential area killed two people and injured eleven. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting hundreds of Ukrainian drones over its regions and the Black Sea.

The Kremlin assessed the recent proposals from Oslo as having limited value. Ushakov said the ideas from the Norwegian capital did not offer much in resolving the crisis. However, he later described them as a step in the right direction. He noted that Moscow is not fully satisfied but sees progress. The discussion also touched on restoring economic ties between the U.S. and Russia, with some joint projects nearing implementation.

In a related development, Russia released a retired American teacher who had been detained on mercenary charges. Witkoff described this as a goodwill gesture following Trump’s request. Additionally, Putin met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in St. Petersburg. The leaders discussed a possible trilateral economic summit in China next month. These moves suggest a broader effort to coordinate international positions on the war and its aftermath.