Putin agrees to resume trilateral negotiations with Kyiv and Washington

O russian leader agreed, “in principle,” to resume talks after November 10, Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, told journalists after a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and Steve Witkoff, sent by American President Donald Trump.

Trilateral negotiations will focus on “the creation of a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the conflict,” said Ushakov.

Witkoff's conversation with Putin about the war in Ukraine takes place when Trump presses Kiev to close a deal that stops the fighting.

At the beginning of the meeting, which lasted about three hours, Putin thanked Trump and Witkoff for their efforts to end the war, according to the Kremlin. Witkoff's visit to Russia took place one day after the US envoy met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and some European leaders in Oslo, Norway's capital.

Russia and Ukraine still diverge deeply in terms of terms for an agreement, while their armies remain in confrontation on the battlefield.

However, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated on Tuesday night that the meeting in Oslo — at which he took part — “has presented real progress”.

Zelensky said today that a break is needed on the front as a starting point for negotiations to put an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia in an interview with Fox News.

“ Then, of course, we will call on the President (Trump) and Europeans to ask for security guarantees,” Zelensky added, the day after the meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (the latter by video conference), as well as the leaders of Norway and Finland.

Zelensky also stated that any peace negotiation should include Ukraine.

According to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Witkoff planned to return to Oslo for further consultations after his trip to Russia.

“ I believe we may have entered a stage where the Russians also seek opportunities for diplomacy,” he said today Store to Norwegian station NRK.

On October 11, Trump declared that Russia and Ukraine had agreed a ceasefire in the attacks on energy infrastructure. However, Russia continued to bomb the Ukrainian power grid, while Kiev attacked the Russian oil refineries. Since then, the fighting has continued from one side to another.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow is willing to hear new US proposals on Ukraine, but stressed that he does not expect any “miracle” from Washington.

On Tuesday, in the White House, Trump intensified pressure on Zelensky to reach an agreement with Russia, at a time when the relationship between the two leaders deteriorated again.