Russia rejects US peace proposals but signals openness to new talks

Russia has rejected US-proposed ideas for ending the Ukraine war after President Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff, while signaling openness to new trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the proposals lacked substance. Moscow is "in principle" ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine and the USA in mid-November, possibly in Abu Dhabi, focusing on security arrangements after the conflict ends. Preparations are also underway for a potential Putin-Trump-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19. Witkoff met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday before seeing Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. During the meeting, Putin falsely claimed Russian forces hold full strategic initiative and are advancing in all main directions, according to Kremlin statements.