Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated his willingness to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine, mediated by the United States, as early as next month, as announced by the Kremlin on Wednesday.
This announcement follows the ninth face-to-face meeting between Putin and American envoy Steve Witkoff. During discussions in Saint Petersburg that lasted nearly three hours, Putin also stated that an American accused by Moscow of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine would be released.
The Kremlin noted that the upcoming trilateral negotiations could take place in Abu Dhabi and would focus on how to ensure the security of both Ukraine and Russia following the conclusion of the conflict.
Discussions are expected to begin on November 10 or later, according to Kremlin reports.
The last US-mediated peace talks occurred in February before Washington and Israel initiated military action against Iran.
Witkoff informed Putin that discussions held the previous day in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with leaders from Finland and Norway, and representatives from Europe and NATO, demonstrated a certain degree of dynamism. An American official revealed that Ukraine presented new ideas and proposals during these talks.
“These nuances, so to speak, do not fully satisfy us,” stated Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin advisor, after the meeting in Saint Petersburg.
Moscow Cites Relationship with Tehran
During Wednesday’s discussions, Putin expressed his willingness to assist Trump concerning Iran, asserting that Russia has maintained a decades-long relationship with Tehran, which it has offered to leverage in addressing American concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Putin communicated to Witkoff that reaching an agreement with Tehran is both possible and necessary, according to the Kremlin.
Additionally, Russia might provide the United States with significant quantities of fertilizers to support American farmers, Putin informed Witkoff.
A potential meeting in China next month with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was also discussed. The Kremlin revealed that Beijing is already preparing what it claims would be the first meeting of its kind in history.
Russia Shows No Signs of Compromising Core Objectives
Vladimir Putin has shown few signs of willingness to make compromises concerning his core objectives, which include complete Russian control over the Donetsk region, Ukraine’s non-alignment with NATO, and a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Witkoff mentioned that he brought several documents outlining various ideas for a potential peace agreement for Putin to review, and that Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, was also interested in sharing some ideas with Putin. Kushner subsequently joined the meeting remotely.
Zelensky expressed hope to discuss key issues regarding the end of the war during a trilateral meeting with Putin and Trump.
The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that any meeting between Putin and Zelensky should be meticulously prepared in advance by advisors to ensure it is worthwhile.
