Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to resume trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and the United States after November 10, following a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The Kremlin says the next round is set for Abu Dhabi, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signalled he could accept freezing the front line as a first step toward negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met US special envoy Steve Witkoff for roughly three hours at Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg on October 21, 2026, according to PBS NewsHour. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev attended, with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner joining by video link.
Following the meeting, Putin agreed in principle to resume three-way negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States after November 10, Ushakov said, as reported by PBS NewsHour. Ushakov added that the talks would aim to build a security arrangement for both Russia and Ukraine once the conflict ends.
What Putin said about the goals of new talks
Speaking on October 23, Putin said future negotiations should produce a lasting settlement rather than a temporary truce, according to The Moscow Times. He said the aim of the talks was to secure lasting safety for both Ukraine and Russia once a final peace agreement is reached, rather than one resulting from a short-term ceasefire.
Putin also said Witkoff had raised the need to address the broader architecture of European security, and that he agreed with that view, per the same report. Putin separately described Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian regions as part of what he called historical Russia, citing referendums held there roughly seven months after the 2022 invasion began, The Moscow Times reported.
Abu Dhabi set as the next venue
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov confirmed that US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on October 23. Three earlier rounds of trilateral talks were held in Abu Dhabi in January and February 2026 and in Geneva in February, but PBS NewsHour noted those sessions produced little beyond prisoner exchanges.
As part of what PBS NewsHour described as a goodwill gesture, Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on mercenary-related charges tied to Ukraine, after a request from US President Donald Trump. Witkoff said there was some momentum in the peace effort, according to the same report.
Zelensky open to freezing the front line
A day earlier, on October 20 in Oslo, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Witkoff and afterward told Fox News he supported halting active fighting as a step toward diplomacy, Arab News reported. Zelensky said it was important to freeze the fighting and move toward diplomacy and an agreement that includes security guarantees.
Zelensky said he favored a trilateral format involving himself, Trump and Putin, while suggesting European countries should also take part, according to Arab News. He described his talks with Witkoff as productive and said he hoped the envoy's visit to Russia would produce a positive outcome.
What is known and unknown
Putin's agreement to resume talks is described as being in principle only, conditional on the process restarting after November 10, per the Kremlin account relayed by PBS NewsHour.
The Kremlin has named Abu Dhabi as the venue for November, according to Il Sole 24 Ore, but no exact date or final agenda has been published.
Putin has also raised prospects for restoring US-Russia economic ties and discussing Iran-related issues, PBS NewsHour reported, without further detail on how these would connect to the Ukraine talks.
It remains unclear whether a front-line freeze, as floated by Zelensky, would be formally adopted as a starting point in the November round.
The goal of these talks will be to ensure the security of Ukraine and Russia after reaching peace agreements, in their final form, not as a result of a temporary ceasefire.
— Vladimir Putin, Russian President, Oct. 23, 2026 (via The Moscow Times)
Questions
When will the next round of Russia-Ukraine-US talks take place?
The Kremlin says talks are expected in Abu Dhabi in November 2026, with Putin agreeing in principle to resume after November 10, according to Il Sole 24 Ore and PBS NewsHour. No exact date has been announced.
What did Putin agree to with Steve Witkoff?
After a roughly three-hour meeting in St. Petersburg on October 21, 2026, Putin agreed in principle to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US, focused on post-war security arrangements, PBS NewsHour reported.
Is Zelensky willing to freeze the current front line?
Zelensky told Fox News on October 20, 2026 that he supports halting active fighting as a step toward diplomacy, provided any deal includes security guarantees, according to Arab News.
Did any prisoners get released as part of this diplomatic move?
Yes. Russia released US citizen Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher held on mercenary-related charges, after a request from President Trump, PBS NewsHour reported.
Where were previous rounds of these trilateral talks held?
Three earlier rounds took place in Abu Dhabi (January and February 2026) and Geneva (February 2026), according to PBS NewsHour, though they resulted mainly in prisoner exchanges.
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