Russia has indicated that it is prepared to resume talks with Ukraine and the United States next month, but signals from the Kremlin suggest that a breakthrough to end the war remains unlikely in the immediate future.
The latest diplomatic efforts involved two days of discussions in Oslo, Norway, and St Petersburg, Russia, as officials explored possible ways to move negotiations forward.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described Tuesday’s discussions involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and European representatives as “Good and constructive”.
The talks raised hopes of a possible meeting between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and the United States to discuss ending the conflict. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown little willingness to meet Zelensky outside Moscow.
The Kremlin has indicated that trilateral negotiations could resume in Abu Dhabi next month, although the proposed discussions would initially take place at the technical level rather than between national leaders.
Following his meeting with Putin, Witkoff acknowledged that “there is still important work to do”. He also reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to ending the war.
Kremlin Questions European and Ukrainian Proposals
One of the clearest indications of Russia’s position came from Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, who participated in the St Petersburg meeting.
Ushakov said Witkoff had briefed Putin on the Oslo discussions, including what the US envoy described as new proposals from European governments and Kyiv.
However, Ushakov appeared unconvinced that the discussions had produced meaningful progress towards resolving the conflict.
“In terms of resolving the Ukraine crisis, there wasn’t much there that was useful,” he said.
Asked by Russian state television about the prospects for peace, Ushakov offered a more cautious assessment, saying he could not determine how close the sides were to an agreement, although he believed developments were moving in that direction.
His comments offered little indication that Russia was prepared to make significant concessions to secure a settlement.
Why Putin May Feel Little Pressure to End the War
The Kremlin’s position suggests that Putin may not currently feel compelled to reach an agreement.
Ukraine’s air defence systems are under considerable pressure, while the approaching winter could create additional challenges for the country as Russia continues its military campaign.
Moscow may also believe that the Trump administration’s approach offers opportunities to improve relations with Washington.
In recent days, Trump has paused some sanctions against Russia, agreed to purchase Russian diesel and sharply criticised Zelensky. These developments could ease some of the diplomatic pressure on Putin.
Russian lawmaker and television presenter Evgeny Popov praised Trump’s approach, describing the US president as the only Western leader currently taking action towards peace.
When asked whether he wanted peace on Russia’s terms, Popov replied, “Of course!”
The exchange illustrated a central obstacle to negotiations: while Moscow says it supports efforts to end the war, its preferred terms may conflict with Ukraine’s demands and those of its European partners.
Possible Putin, Trump and Xi Meeting Raises Questions
Although a trilateral summit involving Putin, Trump and Zelensky does not appear imminent, another high-profile diplomatic meeting could take place in China next month.
The Russian and US presidents may meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Some Russian commentators have already compared the potential gathering to the 1945 Yalta Conference, where Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt discussed the post-war political and territorial order in Europe.
Popov argued that a meeting between the three leaders would benefit the international community, describing Russia, China and the United States as the world’s leading powers.
Such a meeting could provide Putin with an opportunity to strengthen Russia’s international standing and demonstrate that Moscow remains a major participant in global diplomacy despite the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions.
Ukraine Peace Prospects Remain Uncertain
The latest diplomatic exchanges have kept the possibility of renewed negotiations alive, but there is little evidence so far that the parties are close to a settlement.
Russia’s willingness to consider further technical-level talks represents an opening for continued diplomacy. However, the Kremlin’s response to proposals discussed in Oslo suggests that substantial differences remain.
The prospect of a wider meeting involving Putin, Trump and Xi could also shift attention towards Russia’s relationships with the world’s other major powers.
After nearly five years of war, the central question remains whether diplomatic engagement can produce an agreement acceptable to Ukraine and Russia, rather than simply create more opportunities for international negotiations.
For now, the talks have continued, but a clear path towards ending the conflict has yet to emerge.
