Russia leaves door open to Ukraine talks, but leaders’ summit remains uncertain

Russia is willing “in principle” to resume talks with Ukraine and the United States after 10 November, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said following a meeting between Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday. The proposed next step is talks between officials, rather than the meeting of presidents raised during discussions in Oslo the previous day.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called Tuesday’s Oslo talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Witkoff and European representatives “good and constructive”. He said Witkoff’s trip to Russia could “possibly pave the way for a meeting at leaders’ level”. Støre said the Oslo discussions covered Ukraine’s security, territory and sanctions, among other issues.

Putin’s initial response sounded less encouraging. Ushakov told journalists that the approaches Witkoff had brought from Oslo contained little that was useful for resolving the war. He later told Russian state television that Moscow was not fully satisfied with the proposals but saw them as a step in the right direction, the Associated Press reported.

In a statement reproduced by Greek broadcaster ERT, Witkoff also called the discussions constructive and said they would continue in three-way talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine at a technical level. “There is still important work left to do,” he said. Zelensky, meanwhile, said he supported a swift return to talks and hoped they could prepare the ground for a leaders’ meeting, according to AP.

BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg judged that a summit involving Putin, Zelensky and Donald Trump might not happen soon. That caution does not mean the diplomatic effort has ended: Moscow has left open a return to negotiations, though the timing, venue and participants remain unsettled. Earlier three-way rounds this year produced little reported progress beyond prisoner exchanges.