Putin agrees to resume US-mediated Ukraine talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated peace negotiations with Ukraine as early as next month, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, following a nearly three-hour meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.

The proposed trilateral talks, to be held at a technical level, could take place in Abu Dhabi on or after November 10, with discussions focusing on guarantees for Russia's and Ukraine's security after the war ends, Kremlin officials said.

The meeting marked Witkoff's ninth in-person encounter with Putin and came amid growing concerns in Kyiv and among its allies over Washington's commitment to Ukraine. The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran.

The Kremlin said the discussions were less encouraging about the outcome of Witkoff's earlier meeting in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Nordic leaders and European and NATO representatives. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the proposals presented by Ukraine did not satisfy Moscow.

Putin used the meeting to offer assistance to Washington in dealing with Iran, saying a nuclear agreement with Tehran was both possible and necessary. He also offered to supply large quantities of fertiliser to help American farmers.

The Kremlin said the possibility of a meeting in China next month involving Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was also discussed, with Beijing reportedly preparing for the proposed encounter.

Despite the renewed diplomatic push, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on the terms of a settlement. Putin has maintained demands for full Russian control of Ukraine's Donetsk region, Kyiv's exclusion from NATO and a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire.

Witkoff said he had brought documents containing ideas for a potential settlement for Putin to review. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also conveyed proposals during the meeting remotely.

Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Kyiv have persisted over intelligence sharing and Ukraine's access to the Starlink satellite system. Zelenskiy said discussions in Oslo had produced an agreement to resolve those concerns, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that Washington had withdrawn Ukraine's access to Starlink.