Amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to restart trilateral peace talks involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. This appeal comes as Washington seeks to intensify its efforts to find a resolution to the war.
During a meeting held in St. Petersburg, Witkoff presented new proposals aimed at ending the conflict and discussed possible steps toward a negotiated settlement. This marks his ninth face-to-face meeting with Putin. In the discussions, Putin showed openness to cooperating with U.S. President Donald Trump on other international matters, such as Iran’s nuclear program, and mentioned the potential for a future meeting with Trump in China, which could also involve Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Witkoff’s engagement with Putin followed a series of discussions in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as leaders from Finland, Norway, and representatives from Europe and NATO. These talks centered on crafting a unified strategy for negotiations with Russia and identifying critical elements of a comprehensive peace agreement. Key issues under consideration included security guarantees for Ukraine, postwar economic recovery, and the future of European security arrangements.
President Zelenskyy has expressed a desire for a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin to address the primary hurdles in ending the war. However, the Kremlin has maintained that any direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would necessitate significant preparation to ensure effective outcomes.
The latest diplomatic moves underscore Washington’s renewed attempts to bring the involved parties back to the negotiating table, although significant challenges remain in reaching an agreement that satisfies all parties involved.