US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in trilateral peace talks with the United States and Ukraine, as part of Washington’s ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. This appeal was made during a meeting in St Petersburg, where Witkoff presented new proposals aimed at resolving the ongoing war and explored possible steps towards a negotiated settlement.
During the meeting, Putin showed a willingness to work with US President Donald Trump on various international issues, including the nuclear program of Iran. He also suggested the possibility of a future meeting with Trump in China, which could potentially include Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Witkoff’s diplomatic efforts in Russia followed a series of discussions in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with leaders from Finland, Norway, and representatives from Europe and NATO. These talks focused on creating a coordinated strategy for negotiations with Russia and identifying key components of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Among the critical issues debated were security guarantees for Ukraine, strategies for postwar economic recovery, and the future of European security arrangements. Zelenskyy has expressed optimism about the possibility of a trilateral meeting with both Trump and Putin to tackle the primary obstacles to achieving peace.
However, the Kremlin has emphasized that any direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would necessitate thorough preparation to ensure substantial progress is made. These diplomatic movements underscore Washington’s renewed attempts to bring the involved parties back to the negotiating table, though significant challenges remain in formulating a mutually acceptable agreement.