St Petersburg, Oct 22:
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump intensified pressure on Kyiv and Moscow to reach a settlement.
Witkoff said at the beginning of the meeting that he hoped to discuss reviving trilateral negotiations involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine. The proposed talks would bring technical teams together to examine possible next steps towards a peace agreement.
Putin thanked Trump and Witkoff for their efforts to end the conflict. The meeting was held at Constantine Palace, with Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and presidential foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov also participating. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was expected to join the discussions through a video link.
The visit followed Witkoff’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo on Tuesday. Witkoff described those discussions as productive and said there was some momentum in diplomatic efforts. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who attended the Oslo meeting, also said it had made genuine progress.
However, the two sides remain far apart on the terms of a settlement. Key issues include security guarantees for Ukraine, the future of territories occupied by Russia, post-war reconstruction and the possibility of a ceasefire. The fighting has continued, with both countries carrying out attacks using drones and long-range weapons.
Trump has urged Zelenskyy to reach an agreement, arguing that Washington has provided substantial assistance to Ukraine without receiving sufficient returns. The Ukrainian president, meanwhile, has stressed the importance of security guarantees and protection against further Russian attacks.
The diplomatic initiative comes amid continuing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. Russian attacks killed five people and wounded 25 in Ukraine overnight, according to Ukrainian officials. Moscow also reported intercepting hundreds of Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and areas it controls.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr StĂžre said the latest discussions could mark a new phase in diplomatic efforts, with Russia potentially showing greater interest in negotiations. However, no breakthrough was announced following the Witkoff-Putin meeting.