US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to restart trilateral peace talks with the United States and Ukraine, as the US seeks to advance diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The appeal was made during a meeting in St. Petersburg, where Witkoff presented new proposals aimed at ending the war and discussed potential steps toward a negotiated settlement.
The meeting between Witkoff and Putin was their ninth face-to-face encounter, highlighting the continued diplomatic engagement between the two nations. During the discussions, Putin expressed a willingness to collaborate with US President Donald Trump on various international matters, including Iran’s nuclear program. He also proposed a potential future meeting with Trump in China, which might include Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The discussions in St. Petersburg followed Witkoff’s recent meeting in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alongside leaders from Finland, Norway, and representatives from Europe and NATO. These talks focused on forming a coordinated approach to negotiations with Russia and identifying potential components of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Among the key issues under consideration are security guarantees for Ukraine, postwar economic recovery, and the future framework of European security arrangements. President Zelenskyy expressed hope for a trilateral meeting involving Trump and Putin to address the primary barriers to ending the war, though the Kremlin has indicated that extensive preparation would be necessary before any direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy could occur.
The latest diplomatic efforts underscore Washington’s renewed attempts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table, despite the significant challenges that remain in securing an agreement that satisfies all involved parties.