Ukraine, Russia trade strikes after Witkoff talks

Saint Petersburg: Russia indicated on Wednesday it was prepared to resume trilateral discussions with Ukraine and the United States following a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff, along with the release of a detained American. However, Moscow downplayed the prospects of a deal to end the conflict.

US President Donald Trump hailed the meeting as the closest they have been to resolving the war, while Witkoff commended Putin for his humanitarian gesture in freeing American citizen Stephen Hubbard. Despite this, the Kremlin expressed limited enthusiasm for the Ukrainian and European peace proposals presented by Witkoff. Witkoff had traveled to Russia from a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, aimed at easing tensions between Zelensky and Trump.

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, also participated in the talks with Putin remotely. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Russia was "in principle" ready to resume the trilateral talks in mid-November, following the US midterm elections, and that they would focus on post-war security. Ushakov added that Witkoff briefed Putin on new aspects from the Oslo meeting, but emphasized that there was little substance in them.

Additionally, a summit between Putin, Trump, and China's Xi Jinping was being planned for next month in Shenzhen, described as the first such meeting in history.