Russia has indicated it is prepared in principle to resume negotiations with the United States and Ukraine aimed at ending the war, raising the possibility of a new round of diplomatic discussions next month.
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, made the announcement after Putin met US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in St Petersburg.
Ushakov said another round of negotiations could take place in November, although no date or detailed agenda had been confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently expressed support for restarting the talks as soon as possible.
Kyiv and its European allies have repeatedly called for negotiations to resume after the previous round stalled in February. Moscow had resisted further discussions, maintaining that developments on the battlefield favoured Russia as its war against Ukraine continued.
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin followed diplomatic engagements in Oslo, Norway, where he met Zelensky and the leaders of Norway and Finland. The discussions reportedly included proposals for security guarantees for Ukraine and a possible ceasefire covering energy infrastructure.
However, Ushakov dismissed the ideas discussed in Oslo as not particularly “useful”, suggesting that significant differences remain between the parties over how to end the conflict.
The war began in February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, officials from Russia, Ukraine and the United States have held several rounds of negotiations, but a lasting agreement has remained elusive.
Although Moscow’s latest statement signals a potential opening for renewed diplomacy, it remains unclear whether the parties can agree on the terms, security arrangements and ceasefire measures needed to make meaningful progress.
