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 special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, marked Witkoff’s ninth face-to-face encounter with Putin as US President Donald Trump steps up efforts to end Europe’s bloodiest conflict since the Second World War.
The discussions began with Russia releasing Stephen Hubbard, a retired American schoolteacher detained in Russia, following a request from Trump.
The latest diplomatic push comes amid growing concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that Washington is reducing its support for Ukraine, including reported disruptions to real-time intelligence sharing and military communications.
Trump had pledged during his successful election campaign to end the war within 24 hours, but the conflict remains unresolved more than two years later.
The Kremlin said the proposed three-way talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States could take place in Abu Dhabi and focus on security guarantees for both countries after the war ends. The discussions could begin on or after November 10.
The previous round of US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran.
However, Moscow expressed reservations about the outcome of Witkoff’s earlier meeting in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the leaders of Finland and Norway, and European and NATO representatives.
Witkoff reportedly told Putin that the discussions had gained “some degree of momentum”, while a US official said Ukraine had presented new ideas and proposals.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was not entirely satisfied with some aspects of those discussions.
Putin Offers US Help On Iran And Fertiliser Supplies
During Wednesday’s meeting, Putin also offered to help Trump reach an agreement with Iran, saying Russia had maintained longstanding relations with Tehran and had repeatedly offered to use those ties to address Washington’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The Kremlin said Putin believed a deal with Tehran was both possible and necessary.
Putin also offered to supply large quantities of fertiliser to the United States to support American farmers.
The discussions additionally covered a possible meeting in China next month involving Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Kremlin said Beijing was already preparing for what it described as a historic first meeting of its kind.
Russia And Ukraine Remain Far Apart On Peace Terms
Despite the renewed diplomatic efforts, Russia and Ukraine remain divided over the terms of a potential peace agreement.
Putin has shown little willingness to compromise on key war objectives, including securing full Russian control of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, preventing Kyiv from joining NATO and pursuing a comprehensive peace deal rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Witkoff said he had brought documents containing ideas for a possible agreement for Putin to review. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also wanted to convey proposals to the Russian leader and later joined the meeting remotely by phone.
Zelenskyy said he hoped to discuss key issues surrounding the end of the war during a proposed trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin and Trump.
The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted that any direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would require extensive preparation by aides beforehand.
US-Ukraine Relations Face Growing Strain
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have deteriorated following Trump’s announcement earlier this month of a diesel export deal with Russia intended to help lower fuel prices in the United States.
Rising fuel costs following US strikes on Iran have added pressure on Trump’s Republican Party ahead of November’s legislative elections.
Ukraine has since reported disruptions to some intelligence-sharing arrangements and its access to the Starshield military satellite system. However, Zelenskyy said Tuesday’s meeting in Oslo had produced an agreement to resolve those issues.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, that billionaire Elon Musk had ordered a slowdown in a military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service used by Ukraine to track Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
Musk has maintained that decisions of this nature are made by the US military or the president. Trump has denied responsibility, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated on Wednesday that Washington had not withdrawn Ukraine’s ability to access Starlink.
