Russia Signals Readiness to Resume Trilateral Talks With U.S. and Ukraine in Mid-November as Strikes Continue

Russia has indicated it is prepared to restart three-way negotiations with the United States and Ukraine in mid-November, even as fresh Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities underscored the fragility of diplomatic efforts.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin conveyed Moscow’s readiness during a three-hour meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, where the possibility of resuming trilateral negotiations was specifically discussed.

Ushakov said the talks would focus on establishing a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine supported the U.S. proposal for three-way talks at the level of negotiators, preferably no later than early November.

However, shortly after Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, Russia launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine, striking 12 regions including Kyiv and killing at least two people and injuring 34 others, among them children.

Zelensky condemned the timing of the attacks, saying they demonstrated that Moscow’s position had not genuinely changed.

“From last night, the so-called Russian ‘humanitarian’ has fired three waves of ballistic missiles at Kyiv,” he said.

“Just after the new round of talks concluded, Russia launched targeted strikes. This means that regarding everything currently happening, the Russian side’s attitude has not undergone any substantive change”.