Russian missiles slammed into Kyiv overnight, wounding six people and forcing residents into shelters, authorities reported early Thursday. The attacks came as Moscow indicated it was prepared to restart trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and the United States. US President Donald Trump said after his special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday that the discussion represented "the closest we've been" to ending the conflict. Witkoff described Putin as a "humanitarian" for agreeing to release American citizen Stephen Hubbard, a retired English teacher detained in Russia. The Kremlin, however, cautioned that while Moscow was "in principle" ready to resume talks, it found little "substance" in the peace proposals delivered by the US diplomat. Ukrainian officials confirmed that missile strikes wounded six people in the capital, four of whom required hospitalization. Kyiv's air force warned of additional ballistic missiles heading toward the city and ordered civilians to remain in shelters. Russian officials said they intercepted more than 160 drones targeting Moscow during the night. Witkoff had traveled to Russia after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday, an encounter aimed at easing tensions between Trump and Zelensky. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner also participated in the talks remotely. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Russia was "in principle, ready to resume" trilateral talks in mid-November, following the US midterm elections, and that the discussions would focus on post-war security arrangements. Putin, who ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has consistently rejected direct negotiations with Zelensky and maintains the objective of securing the remaining territories of eastern Ukraine.

During the meeting, Ushakov stated that Witkoff briefed Putin on "some new aspects in the approaches of the Europeans and Kyiv" from the Oslo talks, but noted that "there wasn't really much substance in them." A summit involving Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is reportedly being prepared for next month in Shenzhen, according to Ushakov, who called it "the first such meeting in history." Witkoff praised Putin for granting Trump's request to free Hubbard, who had denied charges of acting as a mercenary. "You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian — you are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that," Witkoff said. He described the talks as "constructive" but emphasized that "there is still important work left to do." Subsequent discussions will continue at the technical level between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.

Trump, who returned to the presidency in January 2025 pledging to end the war within 24 hours, has faced criticism for the lack of progress after more than a year of US-led diplomatic efforts that have failed to produce a breakthrough, resulting in thousands of casualties. Recently, Trump shifted focus back toward Putin, highlighting a proposed agreement for Russia to export diesel and lower fuel prices, which he claimed would benefit American consumers ahead of the midterm elections. He also delayed sanctions targeting Russia's war machine, arguing that maintaining pressure would jeopardize Hubbard's release. "If you would've put those sanctions on... you could forget about him. You'd never see him again," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Zelensky stated that Ukraine supports resuming trilateral talks, saying, "The American side is proposing to organise this meeting as soon as possible. We are in favour of it." Russian strikes continued across Ukraine ahead of winter, killing at least four people on Wednesday, including two in Kyiv and an elderly couple in the Kharkiv region. Russian occupation authorities in the Luhansk region reported that a Ukrainian drone strike on a telecommunications company killed two individuals. The recent diplomatic activity follows heightened friction between Washington and Kyiv, as well as public calls from Trump for Zelensky to step aside. Witkoff indicated to Putin that he perceived "some degree of momentum" in the US-led negotiations, while also expressing gratitude for the diesel deal, which has drawn criticism in Kyiv and across Europe for potentially easing fuel costs for American voters ahead of the midterms. The agreement has been viewed as an attempt to bolster domestic political support for Trump's administration amid growing concerns over economic pressures linked to the conflict.