Five Lives Lost as Kremlin Agrees to New Ukraine Peace Talks

Five people were killed and at least 23 others were injured in Russian strikes on Ukraine early Wednesday morning. The attacks occurred just as the Kremlin announced that Russia has agreed to resume three-way peace negotiations with the United States and Kyiv. This development could lead to the first formal talks between the three nations since February, marking a significant shift after more than four and a half years of war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to restart the talks after November 10, according to Yuri Ushakov, the president’s foreign affairs adviser. Ushakov made the announcement following a three-hour meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The discussions were held at the Constantine Palace, with Jared Kushner joining via video link. The primary focus of the upcoming talks will be building a security system for both Russia and Ukraine once the conflict concludes.

The decision follows a day of intense diplomatic activity. Witkoff had just met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Oslo, Norway. While Ushakov criticized the proposals from Oslo as containing little real value, he later told Russian state television that Moscow views them as a step in the right direction. Zelenskyy expressed support for the swift restart of talks in an audio message, stating that the agenda is clear: to end the war and prepare for a meeting at the leaders' level.

Despite the diplomatic progress, the situation on the ground remains volatile. Shortly after Zelenskyy issued his statement, missile alerts sounded over Kyiv. The city’s military administration reported that overnight attacks left three people dead and 12 wounded, with ten residential buildings damaged. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi confirmed that energy facilities in Kyiv and three other cities were targeted. Additionally, two people died and eleven were wounded near Kharkiv when drones exploded in a residential area.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing Kyiv to reach a deal, telling reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he wants Zelenskyy to make an agreement. Trump noted that the U.S. has provided significant support to Ukraine and expressed concern that without a deal, the situation would deteriorate. In a gesture of goodwill, Russia released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on mercenary charges, a move Witkoff attributed to a request from Trump.

Negotiators also discussed broader economic and security issues. Putin indicated he is ready to consider restoring economic ties with the U.S. and discussed the U.S.-led conflict with Iran. Ushakov noted that large-scale joint economic projects were discussed in detail, with some nearing the implementation stage. A U.S. official familiar with the private meeting said that Witkoff and Kushner proposed a technical-level three-way meeting and shared progress on their discussions with Zelenskyy.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre suggested that the region may have entered a new phase of diplomacy, predicting the talks would happen in mid-November. He also commented on the possibility of Ukraine accepting a border along the current front line, noting that while formal acceptance is unlikely, living with it is a different matter. The Kremlin also reported that Putin met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and the two leaders discussed a possible trilateral meeting between Russia, China, and the U.S. at an economic summit in China next month.