Putin agrees to restart Ukraine talks after meeting Witkoff, hours before missiles hit Kyiv

While the world watches the Gulf, the war in Ukraine took a small diplomatic step this week, and a familiar violent one.

The meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff for about three hours in St Petersburg. Afterwards, the Kremlin said Putin had agreed in principle to resume three-way talks with the US and Ukraine, ABC News reports.

According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, as reported by ABC and Newscord:

• Talks would restart through technical teams in mid-November.
• Putin will choose Russia’s delegation in the first ten days of November.
• Abu Dhabi is a possible venue.
• The focus would be “building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends.”

Ushakov was dismissive of the latest European and Ukrainian ideas, saying they had little “substance”, before calling them a step in the right direction. Witkoff called the talks “constructive” and said he brought “ideas” and “some documents”. He also thanked Putin for releasing an American, Stephen Hubbard, and for agreeing to send diesel to the US.

Then the missiles

Hours after the Kremlin’s signal, Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv on Wednesday evening. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said six people were injured.

Kyiv and Washington

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy backs the three-way talks and wants them no later than early November. The BBC, as cited by Newscord, reported he would accept a deal that freezes the war along the current front line.

President Trump said the sides may be closer than ever to ending the war, and that new sanctions should not be imposed during delicate talks.

Why Pakistanis should care

Two big wars, in Ukraine and in the Gulf, are weighing on fuel and food markets worldwide. Any real progress in Ukraine would ease some of that pressure, which eventually shows up in what we pay for fuel, wheat and cooking oil. Washington’s attention is also split between the two, which shapes how much time it gives to the Iran talks, where Pakistan is a mediator.

But “agreement in principle” with missiles still falling is a long way from peace. Watch for whether technical teams actually meet in mid-November.