Witkoff says trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine to continue at technical level

Trilateral talks are negotiations involving three governments. Here, the three parties are the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. Their purpose is to develop a possible framework for peace and advance President Trump’s stated mission to end the war. The format matters because all three countries would be directly involved in discussing the conflict’s future.

Witkoff said the discussions will continue “at the technical level.” That usually means officials and specialists work through detailed questions, rather than presidents or top political leaders making final decisions. The article does not identify the technical teams or their exact responsibilities. It does say senior-level meetings produced progress that the technical discussions will build on.

The process is continuing, but no agreement has been announced. Witkoff said important work remained. The talks could therefore turn broad political ideas into specific proposals, while President Trump remains committed to seeking a comprehensive and lasting peace.

The directly involved countries are the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. The key leaders named in the article are President Zelensky and Putin, while Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner represented the American side in the recent meetings. European leaders also attended the Oslo meeting, but the continuing talks are described as trilateral between the three countries.

On October 20, Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelensky held talks in Oslo with US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also attended. Witkoff and Jared Kushner later met Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21.

Witkoff said these meetings were constructive. He said the St. Petersburg discussion built on progress from Oslo, examined a peace framework, and followed the release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard. The next phase will continue at the technical level among the three governments.

The planned talks directly represent three governments. They are the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. That is why Witkoff described them as trilateral talks. European leaders participated in the Oslo meeting, but the article distinguishes their attendance from the formal three-country negotiating format.

The recent sequence explains how this format emerged. On October 20, Zelensky met Steve Witkoff in Oslo, with Norway’s prime minister and Finland’s president also attending. On October 21, Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg. Their meeting lasted approximately three hours.

The duration shows that the meeting was substantial, but it does not prove that the leaders reached a final settlement. Witkoff said the discussions were constructive and would continue technically. He also warned that much important work remained, so the three governments still face further detailed negotiations.

The article gives only a broad description of the issues under discussion. Witkoff said the St. Petersburg meeting built on progress made in Oslo and addressed a “framework for peace.” This suggests the negotiators are moving from general political contact toward ideas that could shape a settlement.

The concrete example is the sequence of meetings. Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Ukrainian, Russian, and European leaders in Oslo, including Zelensky. Witkoff then met Putin in St. Petersburg. He said the purpose was to build on Oslo’s progress, discuss peace arrangements, and thank Putin for Stephen Hubbard’s release.

The article does not list the framework’s provisions or identify unresolved issues. It does say that the discussions were constructive, while much important work remained. Therefore, the current task is continued detailed negotiation, not implementation of an already completed peace plan.

Technical talks could turn broad political goals into a more complete peace proposal. If the United States, Russia, and Ukraine resolve enough detailed questions, their work might support a negotiated agreement. The article presents this as a possible path toward ending the war, not as a completed process.

The mechanism would be continued specialist-level negotiation. Witkoff said the discussions would proceed technically after meetings in Oslo and St. Petersburg. Those discussions are meant to build on progress, examine a framework for peace, and address the substantial work that remains. The article does not describe approval procedures or deadlines.

The stated goal is a comprehensive and lasting peace that ensures security and prosperity for generations. However, no agreement or implementation plan is reported. The immediate next step is therefore continued trilateral technical work, with later political decisions depending on its progress.

Norway and Finland participated because their leaders were included in the Oslo meeting alongside Ukrainian and American representatives. The article identifies Jonas Gahr Støre as Norway’s prime minister and Alexander Stubb as Finland’s president. Their attendance shows that European leaders can be part of wider diplomatic discussions.

The formal distinction matters. Witkoff said the continuing talks would be between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine at the technical level. European participation in Oslo therefore did not change the stated three-country format. It may allow regional views or political support to be shared before the technical phase, but the article does not give a specific reason.

The current process combines broader consultations with narrower negotiations. Oslo included Ukrainian, American, Norwegian, and Finnish leaders, while St. Petersburg involved Witkoff and Putin. The next technical discussions are still described as trilateral, even though European involvement may remain relevant around them.

The article does not explain what caused the Russia-Ukraine war. It refers to it as “the war” and discusses efforts by the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to end it. Based on the article alone, the safest description is that it is a war involving Russia and Ukraine, with the United States involved in diplomatic efforts.

The article gives a clear reason that ending such a conflict would require durable security arrangements. Witkoff said President Trump seeks a comprehensive and lasting peace that will ensure security and prosperity for generations. In general, lasting settlements need arrangements that reduce the chance of renewed fighting and protect the parties’ future security; this broader explanation goes beyond the article’s specific details.

The negotiations remain incomplete. Witkoff said much important work still needed to be done, although the discussions were constructive. Technical talks would therefore need to address enough security and peace questions to support an agreement that could endure over time.