The key facts

  • After a meeting with Steve Witkoff, Putin confirmed readiness to restore trilateral contacts and stated that the goal is peace treaties rather than a short-term pause in fighting.
  • Putin called the Ukrainian leadership's statements about ceding territories unfounded, saying that 'this is historically Russian territory,' and referred to the 2022 referendums, which most of the international community did not recognize.
  • According to Putin, 'everything can be agreed upon,' while he claims Russia is not preparing for war with Europe; on October 23, Taiwan closed schools, government offices and financial markets almost entirely due to Typhoon Champi.

Putin's statements after the meeting with Witkoff

Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a meeting with Steve Witkoff, gave an interview to state television in which he confirmed that he is 'ready to restore trilateral contacts.' According to him, the goal is to discuss ensuring the security of Ukraine and Russia after peace treaties are achieved, with the final version of the agreements in mind, not some short-term halt to hostilities.

On territories and the possibility of agreements

Putin called the Ukrainian leadership's statements about giving up territories unfounded: 'This is not their territory. This is historically Russian territory.' According to him, residents of four regions of Ukraine voted in 2022 referendums to join Russia; most of the international community did not recognize these referendums. At the same time, Putin allowed for the possibility of an agreement: 'Let someone want to think otherwise, to reason otherwise... But everything can be agreed upon.'

Other claims and the context of the negotiations

Putin also stated that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield and that it will achieve all of its goals in the war. According to him, the Ukrainian army has 500,000 deserters who are being sent to the front line. He claims that the leadership of European countries is running a campaign against Russia and constantly speaks of preparing for a conflict, yet 'Russia is not preparing for any war with Europe.' As of now, Moscow demands that Ukraine fully hand over the Donbas; Kyiv refuses to give up the territories it controls. Moscow also demands limiting the size of the Ukrainian army and permanently banning Ukraine from joining military alliances — Kyiv views these conditions as a demand for capitulation. According to sources close to the Kremlin, among the proposals of the American envoy to Putin there is a scenario under which Ukraine hands the Donbas over to Russia and, in return, receives guarantees of future security outside NATO; this information has not been officially confirmed. On the front, the sides continue to exchange strikes.

Typhoon Champi in Taiwan

On October 23, due to the approach of Typhoon Champi, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, schools, government offices and financial markets closed across almost the entire territory of Taiwan.