Russia agrees to 3-way peace talks, Kremlin says

MOSCOW/KYIV — Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine as soon as next month, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, after Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff in a push to stop Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.

The negotiations took place at the grand imperial palace in St. Petersburg, the ninth time that Witkoff had met Putin in person.

Wednesday's encounter unfolded amid concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that the United States is backing away from Ukraine.

The Kremlin said the new three-way peace talks, which would be at a technical level, could take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and would be focused on how to guarantee the security of Ukraine and Russia once the conflict ends. They could begin sometime on or after Nov 10, it said. The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February before the US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran.

The Kremlin was less upbeat, however, about the outcome of talks Witkoff had held a day earlier in Oslo, Norway, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leaders of Finland and Norway, and European and NATO representatives. Witkoff told Putin the talks had been characterized by "some degree of momentum" and a US official said Ukraine had brought new ideas and proposals.

"These nuances, so to speak, do not entirely satisfy us," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after the St. Petersburg meeting — which lasted nearly three hours.

Intensified pressure

Ukraine and Russia remain far apart when it comes to the terms of any possible peace deal, though US President Donald Trump has recently intensified pressure on Ukraine to strike a deal. He said on Tuesday it was time for Ukraine to end the conflict or face "a very bad thing".

Zelensky said Ukraine backs holding three-way talks with Russia and the US quickly.

"We have learned that Russia … is favorable to a trilateral meeting between our teams," he told journalists. "The American side is proposing to organize this meeting as soon as possible. We are in favor of it."

Zelensky said he would agree to a peace deal with Russia that would freeze the conflict along the current front line, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported on Wednesday.

"Right now, we need to freeze the situation. I believe this is a realistic way to put an end to this war," Zelensky said when asked if he would accept a peace deal that freezes the front along its current lines after Russia's special military operation.

He said that following a potential ceasefire, Ukraine would seek security guarantees from Trump and European countries.

"The most important thing is peace, and peace supported by security," Zelensky said.

On Tuesday, Zelensky discussed proposals for various ceasefire formats with Witkoff in Oslo.

Shortly after the St. Petersburg talks, Russia and Ukraine traded major attacks overnight.

Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on social media that strikes had wounded 15 people in the Ukrainian capital, eight of whom needed hospitalization.

Moscow's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that two people had been wounded during mostly intercepted barrages of 630 drones headed toward the region, 163 of which were approaching the capital city.

AGENCIES-XINHUA