Russia rejects Europe–Ukraine proposals but is open to November talks with US and Kyiv

Russia said it would not accept the peace proposals that a U.S. envoy brought from Ukraine and Europe, but indicated readiness to resume trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv in mid-November.

Key points and next meetings

Kremlin foreign-policy adviser Yury Ushakov said the ideas delivered by envoy Steve Vitkof "do not contain much substance." Despite that assessment, Ushakov announced Moscow is "in principle" prepared to reopen negotiations with the United States and Ukraine in mid-November, with the main subject to be the security order "after the end of the conflict."

The Kremlin also said it is preparing for a separate three-way meeting between Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The goal is to hold that meeting on the margins of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on 18 and 19 November.

Steve Vitkof met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday and then held talks with Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. Vitkof told reporters he had conveyed "ideas" for ending the war in Ukraine.

During the St. Petersburg meeting, Vitkof responded to a remark about President Trump by saying, "You speak so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanist." He then addressed Putin directly: "You are also a humanist, Mr President. Therefore I pay you tribute, I praise you and once again I thank you." Russian state media published video excerpts of those exchanges on social networks.

Moscow’s public statement does not accept the European and Ukrainian proposals as presented, but it leaves a window for renewed diplomacy next month as leaders prepare for high-level meetings in Shenzhen.

Photo: press material from the event