Play store
US President Donald Trump said an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine could be closer than ever, as Moscow signalled its readiness to resume trilateral peace talks with Washington and Kyiv in mid-November, although the Kremlin played down the prospects of an imminent breakthrough.
The renewed diplomatic push followed a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg, where discussions focused on efforts to end the conflict, post-war security arrangements and recent proposals from Ukraine and European countries.
“The other day I was talking to Vladimir Putin about settling his war with Ukraine, which I think we’re getting closer to, by the way — maybe now the closest we’ve been,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
However, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the proposals presented by Witkoff lacked sufficient substance, highlighting the significant differences that continue to separate Moscow, Kyiv and their international partners.
Ushakov said Russia was, in principle, ready to resume trilateral negotiations after the US midterm elections in mid-November. He added that Moscow wanted the discussions to focus on security arrangements after the war.
Witkoff met Putin after holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also joined the meeting with Putin remotely.
According to Ushakov, Witkoff briefed the Russian president on developments in the positions of Kyiv and European governments, but Moscow saw little substantive progress in the proposals.
Despite the reservations, Witkoff described his three-hour meeting with Putin as constructive, saying important work remained and that technical-level discussions among the United States, Russia and Ukraine would continue.
Zelensky said Ukraine supported resuming trilateral negotiations as soon as possible, adding that Washington had proposed organising another meeting.
The latest diplomatic efforts also coincided with the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher in his 70s who had been detained in Russia and denied allegations that he fought as a mercenary for Ukraine.
Witkoff praised Putin for granting Trump’s request to release Hubbard, describing the Russian leader as a humanitarian. Trump also thanked Putin for the release and defended his decision to delay sanctions targeting Russia, saying tougher measures could have jeopardised efforts to secure the American’s freedom.
Witkoff also expressed Washington’s gratitude for a reported Russian diesel supply arrangement aimed at easing fuel prices, a move that has drawn criticism in Kyiv and parts of Europe.
Trump returned to office in January 2025 promising to end the war quickly, but previous rounds of negotiations and a summit with Putin in Alaska last year failed to produce a peace agreement.
The central obstacles remain unresolved, including Russia’s territorial demands, Ukraine’s sovereignty and the security guarantees Kyiv would require under any settlement. Putin has continued to reject direct talks with Zelensky while maintaining Moscow’s territorial objectives in eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, fighting continued despite the diplomatic activity. Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes killed at least four people, including two in Kyiv and an elderly couple in the eastern Kharkiv region. Russian occupation authorities in the Luhansk region said a Ukrainian drone strike on a telephone company killed two people.
The Kremlin also said preparations were under way for a possible summit involving Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen next month.
While Trump’s latest remarks indicated renewed optimism in Washington, Moscow’s reservations and the continuing battlefield violence underscored the challenges facing negotiators. No concrete timetable for a ceasefire or a comprehensive peace agreement has been announced.
