U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than four hours in St. Petersburg on Thursday, signaling a renewed American push to explore diplomatic options for ending the war in Ukraine.
The meeting — held discreetly at the presidential library — marks Witkoff’s third direct encounter with Putin in two months. Witkoff, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, arrived unannounced in Russia’s second-largest city, reflecting the urgency behind the outreach.
According to Reuters, Kremlin spokespersons confirmed the talks took place but tempered expectations, saying the conversation focused broadly on “the Ukrainian settlement.” No immediate breakthroughs were reported.
Witkoff’s presence in St. Petersburg is part of a wider diplomatic effort by the Trump administration, which has been openly critical of stalled peace negotiations. Earlier this week, Trump called the war “senseless” and said “too many lives have been lost,” urging Moscow to accelerate its efforts toward a ceasefire.
Before meeting with Putin, Witkoff also reportedly spoke with Kirill Dmitriev, a key figure in Russian investment circles, at the historic Grand Hotel Europe. While details of that discussion were not disclosed, the meeting suggests Washington may be quietly re-engaging on both diplomatic and economic fronts.
Meanwhile, Western support for Ukraine remains strong. While Witkoff was in Russia, defense ministers from NATO countries gathered in Brussels to announce new military aid packages for Kyiv. Germany’s defense chief expressed skepticism over Russia’s willingness to pursue peace, pointing to continued attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
The United States has pushed for an immediate ceasefire but has not indicated willingness to make concessions tied to sanctions — one of Moscow’s conditions. Ukraine, for its part, has remained firm. President Volodymyr Zelensky visited a missile attack site in his hometown this week and publicly accused Russia of dragging out the conflict.
Although Witkoff’s role is unofficial in traditional diplomatic terms, it reflects Trump’s tendency to rely on close confidants rather than formal State Department channels. Whether this backchannel approach will yield results remains unclear, but the frequency of the meetings underscores the high stakes.
As the war grinds on and geopolitical lines harden, all eyes are now on whether this unconventional outreach can shift the momentum — or if it will be just another attempt lost in the fog of war.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
