Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Friday. This meeting comes at a critical time as former President Donald Trump urged Russia to take action toward a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The Kremlin reported that the talks lasted over four hours and focused on finding ways to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This was Witkoff’s third meeting with Putin this year, and Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy, described the discussions as "productive."
Trump expressed his frustration about the slow progress in negotiations, stating on social media, "Russia has to get moving. Too many people are dying, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war." His comments highlight a growing impatience with the situation.
In related news, Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, denied suggesting that Ukraine could be divided into different zones of control. This idea arose during an interview where Kellogg mentioned the possibility of British and French troops overseeing specific areas in Ukraine. He later clarified that he was not advocating for a partition of Ukraine but rather discussing a supportive force for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
On the same day as the Witkoff-Putin meeting, European nations pledged €21 billion (about $24 billion) in military aid to Ukraine. Despite this support, European defense ministers noted that there were no signs of an end to the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tempered expectations for breakthroughs from the Witkoff meeting, stating that progress in normalizing relations is ongoing. He mentioned that the outcome of the talks would influence the potential for a meeting between Putin and Trump.
Earlier, Witkoff had a separate meeting with Dmitriev at a hotel in St. Petersburg. Dmitriev had recently visited Washington, marking a significant moment as he was the highest-ranking Russian official to visit the U.S. since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited his hometown of Kryvyi Rih, where a recent Russian missile attack killed 19 people, including nine children. During this visit, he accused the Kremlin of prolonging the war and claimed that hundreds of Chinese nationals were fighting alongside Russian forces.
Zelensky emphasized the need for air defense systems to protect Ukraine, stating that powerful weapons are essential for safety against Russia. He also mentioned discussions with Trump regarding Ukraine’s military needs.
Trump has previously claimed he could resolve the conflict in just 24 hours and asserted that the war would not have occurred if he were still in office. His strong statements reflect a desire to regain influence in the ongoing crisis.
As diplomatic efforts continue, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, with the situation in Ukraine still dire and unresolved.