For me, the most telling assertion of the day was from Vladimir Putin’s overseas coverage aide Yuri Ushakov. He took half in the St Petersburg talks.
Ushakov said that Steve Witkoff had informed President Putin about the discussions in Oslo and (as Witkoff seen them) “new approaches from the Europeans and Kyiv”.
The Kremlin adviser was clearly unimpressed by what he heard.
“In terms of resolving the Ukraine crisis, there wasn’t much there that was useful,” commented Ushakov.
Later Russian state TV requested him about the prospects for peace.
“I don’t know how close we are getting,” Yuri Ushakov said, “but things are moving in that direction.”
All rather obscure.
It seems that President Putin does not really feel under strain proper now to finish the conflict.
He knows that Ukraine’s air defences are under extreme pressure.
He knows that winter is coming and may effectively view the cold climate as an alternative to pound Ukraine into submission.
He knows, too, that there is a US president in the White House who clearly needs a larger, higher, more profitable relationship with Moscow.
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