Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that Russia is ready in principle to resume peace negotiations involving Ukraine and the United States, raising the possibility of renewed efforts to end the war. However, no peace agreement has been reached, and Russian attacks on Ukraine continued as diplomatic efforts gathered attention.
Putin met United States special envoy Steve Witkoff on October 21 at Constantine Palace in Strelna, near St Petersburg, to discuss efforts to end the conflict. The meeting marked another round of diplomatic talks between Moscow and Washington as the United States seeks to bring Russia and Ukraine back to negotiations.
Following the meeting, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Russia was prepared in principle to resume trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States after November 10. Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates was mentioned as a possible location for the discussions.
A US official said a proposal for technical level discussions had been accepted by both sides. However, a final date, venue and agenda have not been confirmed. The announcement does not mean that the countries have reached an agreement on how to end the war.
The diplomatic developments came as Russian forces continued attacks on Ukraine. On October 22, Russian missile and drone strikes hit Kyiv, killing one person and injuring 22 others, according to an Associated Press report. The attacks underscored the gap between diplomatic efforts and the continuing fighting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continued diplomatic discussions with the United States and European partners. The talks have included security guarantees for Ukraine, defence support, reconstruction and arrangements for European security after the war.
Ukraine has called for a meeting involving Zelenskyy, Putin and United States President Donald Trump. Kyiv has also stressed the importance of reliable security guarantees to protect the country against future attacks if a peace agreement is reached.
Russia and Ukraine remain divided over key issues. Russia has continued to demand control over the entire Donetsk region and opposes Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine, meanwhile, has rejected Russian territorial claims and called for security arrangements that would protect its sovereignty and independence.
These disagreements remain major obstacles to a settlement. Although renewed negotiations could create an opportunity for further discussion, there is no indication that Russia and Ukraine have agreed on the main conditions needed to end the conflict.
Witkoff's visit to Russia followed talks in Oslo, Norway, involving Zelenskyy, the leaders of Norway and Finland, and representatives of European countries, the European Union and NATO. The discussions covered security guarantees, air defence, intelligence, economic recovery and wider European security concerns.
The proposed negotiations would follow earlier diplomatic efforts that failed to produce a comprehensive settlement. The United States has continued to seek common ground between Moscow and Kyiv, but the territorial dispute and disagreements over Ukraine's future security remain unresolved.
The meeting between Putin and Witkoff also coincided with the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74 year old American retired teacher from Michigan who had been held in Russia since April 2022.
Hubbard was detained in the Ukrainian city of Izium and later convicted by a Russian court on mercenary related charges. He received a prison sentence of six years and ten months following a closed trial.
Russian authorities alleged that Hubbard had fought for Ukraine as a mercenary. His US based lawyer, Martin De Luca, disputed the allegations, saying Hubbard maintained that he had not been part of a combat or military unit.
Putin announced Hubbard's release during the meeting with Witkoff. Trump had previously expressed interest in securing Hubbard's release. He said the United States was not required to make a concession in return and that no prisoner exchange was necessary. The Kremlin described the release as a humanitarian decision.
Hubbard's release was an important development in relations between Moscow and Washington. However, there is no established evidence that it was formally linked to a concession over Ukraine, and it does not demonstrate that a wider peace settlement is close.
The possibility of renewed trilateral negotiations offers another opportunity for Russia, Ukraine and the United States to address their differences. Progress will depend on whether the parties can find common ground on territory, security guarantees and Ukraine's future relationship with NATO.
For now, Russia's willingness to resume talks remains a diplomatic signal rather than a confirmed breakthrough. With attacks continuing and major disagreements unresolved, the next challenge will be turning preliminary discussions into concrete steps towards ending the war.