Russia says it can restart trilateral talks, but doubts US peace proposals
The Kremlin indicated willingness to resume three-way talks with the United States and Ukraine after the midterm elections, while dismissing the substance of the proposals the US envoy brought.
Steve Witkoff, the United States' special envoy, traveled to Saint Petersburg after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, where he highlighted Putin's release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard. During a three-hour discussion, Witkoff lauded Putin as a humanitarian, while the Kremlin's Yuri Ushakov warned that the peace proposals Witkoff carried from Europe and Kyiv lacked real substance. Ushakov added that Russia is "in principle ready" to resume the trilateral talks with the United States and Ukraine after the U.S. midterm elections, focusing on post-war security.
He also mentioned preparations for a historic summit in Shenzhen that would bring together Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. At the same time, Russian attacks killed at least four civilians in Kyiv and the Kharkiv region, and a Ukrainian drone strike in Lugansk killed two people. Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed support for restarting the talks as soon as possible.
Why it matters
The talks could shape the future of the Ukraine conflict and affect global security dynamics.
How this story developed
- Oct 14 US urges Europe to release part of frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine peace talks
- Oct 17 European delegates rebuffed the US call to release frozen assets.
- Oct 19 Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a three-way meeting of Putin, Trump and Xi on Ukraine is being discussed for the APEC summit in China.
- Oct 19 Trump publicly affirmed his openness to a trilateral meeting focused on nuclear issues.
- Oct 20 US special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet President Vladimir Putin to seek the freedom of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American held in Russia.
- Oct 20 Putin suggested holding the talks at the APEC summit in Shenzhen on Nov 18‑19.
- Oct 21 Russia announced that Stephen Hubbard has been freed and is at St. Petersburg airport.
- Oct 21 During a meeting in Russia, Steve Witkoff praised Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian, prompting condemnation from across the U.S. political spectrum.
- Oct 21 U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met President Putin in St. Petersburg, after which Russia granted Hubbard a humanitarian pardon.
- Oct 21 The meeting sparked immediate criticism from U.S. political figures.
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