Russia says it is ready to resume talks with Ukraine and the US

Russia said it was ready in principle to resume talks with Ukraine and the United States on ending the war. The statement came after a new missile attack on Kyiv that injured six people, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg. The meeting lasted about three hours and followed Witkoff’s talks with Volodymyr Zelensky the previous day.

Russia said a new round could take place around 10 November in Abu Dhabi, but no final date has been agreed.

Ceasefire proposals discussed

Zelensky said the talks covered strong security guarantees for Ukraine and proposals for an energy ceasefire. He also said he would accept freezing the war along the current front line as the minimum outcome.

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov described the Ukrainian proposals as not very useful. He said future talks should focus on building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends.

Witkoff called the meeting constructive. Jared Kushner, who joined by video link, said difficult work remained but that there was an opportunity to establish a framework for lasting peace.

Talks follow renewed attacks

Three-way negotiations were paused in February. Russia then intensified missile and drone attacks, while Ukraine faced shortages of Western-supplied interceptors for its air defences.

Putin told Witkoff that Russian forces were advancing across the front line and held the strategic initiative. Ukraine and its European allies disputed that assessment, describing the front as virtually stalemated.

Disputes between Kyiv and Washington

The diplomatic contacts came amid growing tensions between Ukraine and the US. Donald Trump has said Ukraine should get a new president to negotiate, while Kyiv accused Washington of withholding intelligence about Russian ballistic-missile launches. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the accusation scandalous; Zelensky said intelligence sharing was now working.

Before the Putin-Witkoff meeting, Russia released 74-year-old US citizen Stephen Hubbard, who had received a nearly seven-year sentence for allegedly fighting for Ukraine. Trump said no prisoner swap was needed for his release.