US negotiator to Putin: Russia ready for new trilateral meeting with US and Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff that Russia is prepared for a continuation of tripartite talks with the US and Ukraine in November, according to Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. The talks, centered around establishing a security system for Russia and Ukraine, are expected to take place after November 10, possibly in Abu Dhabi, Ushakov quoted Putin as saying.

This follows previous discussions in Geneva and Abu Dhabi. The US White House confirmed that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to the proposal for another meeting in this format. Witkoff conveyed new proposals to Putin during his meeting in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Ushakov noted that there were some new approaches from both Europeans and Kyiv, but they were not entirely satisfactory.

While Putin declined to provide details on the changed positions, he did mention that progress was being made. In a separate development, US President Donald Trump praised Russia for releasing a US citizen, Stephen Hubbard, who was serving a long sentence for allegedly fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russian troops. Trump stated that no exchange was required for this release.

Meanwhile, Russia has long demanded that Ukraine withdraw completely from the Donetsk region as a precondition for a ceasefire. However, Zelenskyy has categorically rejected such a concession, as it would equate to Ukraine's capitulation. Putin expressed interest in economic cooperation with the US, suggesting that Russia could provide large quantities of fertilizer to the American market.

The first tanker with 40,000 tons of diesel is set to depart on Thursday. Witkoff had met with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo on Tuesday and returned to Oslo on Wednesday to report on his discussions with Putin. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told the NRK that he believes Russia might be considering diplomatic options.

Ukraine has been fighting the Russian invasion for over four and a half years, and the situation has worsened during the winter, with Russia targeting the country's energy infrastructure and the country lacking sufficient resources for missile defense. Zelenskyy recently advocated for a mutual ceasefire on energy facilities, but Putin has previously rejected this proposal.