The key facts
- Zelensky: Ukraine supports a trilateral meeting of the teams 'as soon as possible', no later than early November
- Ushakov: Putin told Witkoff of Moscow's readiness 'in principle' for talks around November 10
- Witkoff called the discussions held in St. Petersburg and Oslo 'constructive'
Kyiv backed the swift holding of trilateral talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine supports the US initiative to hold trilateral talks with Russia 'as soon as possible'. According to him, Kyiv received feedback from Washington following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg held earlier that same day. 'We received feedback that Russia supports a trilateral meeting at the level of our teams. The American side proposes to hold it as soon as possible. We support this,' Ukrainian media, including the Ukrinform agency, quoted Zelensky as saying.
Agenda and timing
Zelensky noted that he does not know the final dates of the meeting, but the teams of the parties will stay in touch to develop the agenda. 'The agenda is clear: to end the war, bring peace closer and prepare everything for a meeting at the leaders' level — this is very important for everyone,' he said, adding that the American side promised to organize the meeting in the shortest possible time. According to Zelensky, the meeting should take place no later than early November, and the Ukrainian negotiating team will support proposals on a ceasefire and humanitarian initiatives, including prisoner exchanges. He expressed hope that Russia will fulfill its obligations regarding the trilateral meeting.
Moscow's position
On Wednesday, Putin received the American envoy in St. Petersburg — it was their ninth in-person meeting. After the talks, which, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, lasted about three hours at the Constantine Palace, Ushakov told journalists that Putin conveyed to Witkoff Moscow's readiness 'in principle' to resume trilateral talks on Ukraine in November. 'Our president told Steve Witkoff that we are in principle ready to resume the aforementioned trilateral talks around November 10,' Ushakov said. He specified that Moscow's readiness for trilateral talks concerns, in particular, the issue of building a post-war 'security system' for Moscow and Kyiv.
Witkoff's comment and talks history
Steve Witkoff said on the social network X that he and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner held 'constructive' discussions over the past two days in St. Petersburg and the Norwegian capital Oslo, and that these discussions will continue with trilateral talks 'at the technical level'. Russia and Ukraine last held peace talks mediated by the United States earlier this year: three rounds took place on January 23–24, February 4–5 and February 17–18. The first two were held in Abu Dhabi, the third in Geneva.
