War against Ukraine: Putin agrees to new talks

After a meeting with the US special envoy, Russian President Putin apparently agreed to new negotiations with the US and Ukraine. The aim is therefore to end the war

War against Ukraine Putin agrees to resume talks As of: October 21, 2026 • 11:02 p.m

After a meeting with the US special envoy, Russian President Putin apparently agreed to new talks with the US and Ukraine. But it shouldn't be about an end to the war.

According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to resuming trilateral talks with Ukraine and the USA. The negotiations should begin after November 10th and would focus on "building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the conflict," said Putin's advisor Yuri Ushakov.

It was said that the talks could take place in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

"Agreement on talks in a three-way format", Norbert Hahn, ARD Moscow, on the meeting between Witkoff and Putin Morning magazine, Das Erste, October 22nd, 2026 • 6:00 a.m. Putin had previously met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg. According to the Kremlin, Witkoff and Putin spoke for about three hours. Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, were also present. According to Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was there via video link.

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Russia once again expressed its rejection of proposals for an end to the Ukraine war. Ushakov said European and Ukrainian proposals submitted by Witkoff "did not contain much substance."

US special envoy Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks in Oslo on Tuesday before meeting Putin.

Responding to the suggestion of talks with the US and Russia, Zelensky expressed his support on Wednesday. A meeting at the negotiator level should take place as soon as possible, preferably by the beginning of November, Zelensky said. Peace proposals and a possible summit meeting of heads of state and government could be discussed.

Zelensky previously described freezing the front line in the war with Russia as a possible first step towards a ceasefire. “We have to freeze them now,” he told US news channel Fox News. This is the way “to end this war” and “the minimum we expect from Russia today.”

Zelensky's offer is not new, says ARD correspondent Vassili Golod in the tagesthemen. The Ukrainian President has repeatedly reiterated this over the months and emphasized it again and again. But the answer is the one you always see. The Russian army attacked Kiev again with ballistic missiles in the evening. "The answer from Moscow is clear: the signs still point to war."

"Signs continue to point to war", Vassili Golod, ARD Kiev, on Zelenskyj's proposal to Russia to freeze the front tagesthemen, Das Erste, October 21, 2026 • 10:15 p.m. Last conversation in February With Western help, Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for more than four and a half years. Under US President Donald Trump, the USA is trying to mediate between the warring parties. However, previous discussions had had no significant success. The last time there were talks in the three-way format of the USA, Russia and Ukraine was in Geneva in February, and before that twice in Abu Dhabi.

Russia has historically demanded control over the entire Donbas - including areas it has not yet conquered. Ukraine rejects this for fundamental reasons - also because the front line has been frozen for months.

Andreas Umland, European Political Institute Kiev, on the current developments between Russia and Ukraine tagesschau24, October 21, 2026 • 4:00 p.m. Political analyst: Putin relies on Trump In an interview with WDR, political scientist Nico Lange expressed skepticism as to whether the now announced talks will actually take place. One should not conclude from such a headline that Putin is now ready for compromises, a ceasefire or something similar, he said.

“Putin is now, I think, counting on Trump, as he has been doing all of last year, to enable him to subjugate Ukraine by putting pressure on Ukraine,” said Lange. "And like last year, this time too it won't lead to any result."

US President Trump recently increased the pressure on Ukraine. Among other things, he suspended sanctions that had already been decided against Russia and on Tuesday again urged Zelensky to reach an agreement with Putin - otherwise it would "end very badly," Trump warned. At the same time, Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia to reduce fuel prices in the US ahead of the November congressional elections.

Ukraine has recently repeatedly complained about restrictions on the transfer of US intelligence data and a throttling of the Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services. The services play an important role in the communication of the Ukrainian armed forces at the front and are also important for controlling drones and defending against them.

If this is true, it raises some questions - including for US President Trump. more