Russia ready to resume Ukraine talks but cool on peace deal

Saint Petersburg, Oct 22 — Russia expressed willingness on Wednesday to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States following a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and a US envoy, Steve Witkoff. However, Moscow downplayed the prospects of a peace deal to end the conflict. Witkoff commended Putin for releasing American Stephen Hubbard, a retired English teacher detained in Ukraine, noting that Trump considered Trump a "humanitarian" for the release.

Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov confirmed Russia's "in principle" readiness to resume talks in mid-November, after the US midterm elections, emphasizing the focus on post-war security. Witkoff briefed Putin on new aspects from the Oslo meeting, but the Kremlin claimed there was little substance to the Ukrainian and European peace proposals brought by Witkoff.

A summit between Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is also planned in Shenzhen next month, described as the "first such meeting in history." Despite the positive developments, Ushakov stated that "work left to do" remains.