Putin agrees to resume three-way Ukraine talks after Nov. 10

Kyiv's response: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will support proposals on "a ceasefire, ending the war, addressing the energy sector," humanitarian steps and prisoner returns, the Kyiv Independent reported. He wants European partners included and said dates are not set. "In the past, things have changed or been called off. We shall see how it goes this time," he said. In a Fox News interview, Zelenskyy said freezing the fighting is the "minimum" needed to end the war.

Russia's framing: Ushakov said the proposals Witkoff brought from Oslo "contained little of real value," though he later told Russian state TV they were a step in the right direction, RTÉ reported. Putin and Witkoff also discussed Russian diesel sales to the U.S., "large-scale joint economic projects" that Ushakov said are "nearing the implementation stage," and a possible meeting of the Russian, Chinese and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China next month.

Hubbard freed: Putin pardoned Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired Michigan teacher, the Kremlin said, and he was handed over to Witkoff. Hubbard was detained in Ukraine in 2022 and sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years on mercenary charges he denies. NBC News said he was the last American the State Department had designated as wrongfully detained in Russia. Trump said no "swap" was needed.

Timeline: Oct. 9: Trump and Putin speak by phone. Oct. 16: Trump waives new Russia sanctions. Oct. 20: Witkoff meets Zelenskyy and European officials in Oslo. Oct. 21: Witkoff meets Putin; Hubbard is freed; Russia agrees in principle to talks. Around Nov. 10: proposed restart of three-way talks.

The fighting goes on: Overnight Russian attacks on Kyiv killed three people and injured 12, the city's military administration said, according to RTÉ. Russia's defense ministry said it struck port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region overnight into Thursday, Reuters reported.

What's still unknown: The date, venue and delegations for the talks; whether European officials will take part; and the text of the U.S. framework, which has not been released. Witkoff called both meetings "constructive" but said "there is still important work left to do."

Updated Oct. 22 with Russia's agreement to resume talks and Ukraine's response. Details of the meeting come mainly from Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, as reported by RTÉ and TASS (Russian state media). The hero photo is a Kremlin file image from Witkoff's Sept. 5, 2026, meeting with Putin.