Vladimir Putin agrees to three-way peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, the US

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated peace negotiations with Ukraine, with three-way technical-level talks potentially starting as early as November 10, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. The discussions may take place in Abu Dhabi and will focus on security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine after the war ends.

The announcement came after a nearly three-hour meeting between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg, as Washington steps up efforts to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two, as mentioned in a report in Reuters.

The Kremlin stated that the talks would concentrate on ensuring security after the war, while noting that recent discussions between Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European and NATO representatives had not fully met Moscow's expectations.

MUST READ | Marco Rubio reveals what Russia wants to end the Ukraine war: All of Donetsk

Witkoff described those talks as having gained some momentum, and a US official said Ukraine had presented new ideas and proposals. Zelenskyy expressed hope to discuss key issues concerning an end to the war in a trilateral meeting with Putin and US President Donald Trump.

Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on a potential settlement. Putin's main demands include full Russian control of the eastern Donetsk region, no NATO membership for Kyiv, and a comprehensive peace deal rather than a temporary ceasefire. Trump has increased pressure on Ukraine to reach an agreement, warning on Tuesday that it faced "a very bad thing" if it did not end the war.

Witkoff said he brought documents containing possible peace proposals for Putin to review. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also conveyed ideas during the meeting remotely.

The meeting began with Russia releasing Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher whom Trump had asked Putin to free.

DON'T MISS | India, Turkey, Egypt propose safe passage for ships carrying Ukrainian grain, Russia refuses: Zelenskyy

Putin also offered to help Washington address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme, citing Russia's longstanding relationship with Tehran. He proposed supplying large quantities of fertiliser to US farmers.

The Kremlin said a possible meeting between Trump, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month was also discussed.

Meanwhile, US-Ukraine relations have come under strain following a Russian diesel export deal with Washington and reported disruptions to intelligence sharing and Ukraine's access to military satellite communications. Zelenskyy said discussions in Oslo had produced an agreement to resolve those issues, while Washington denied withdrawing Kyiv's access to Starlink.