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U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in St. Petersburg to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions on a Ukraine peace proposal. The meeting follows Witkoff's talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, Norway, where they discussed new ideas and proposals for peace. According to The Moscow Times, the Oslo meeting included leaders from Norway, Finland, and NATO representatives, making "meaningful progress" toward a coordinated approach to engaging Russia.
The U.S. aims to "create a pathway toward direct trilateral and broader multilateral negotiations," a U.S. official told Reuters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Oslo talks as "positive," providing ideas to present to Moscow.
Witkoff's visit marks his first trip to Russia since September 5, when he and Jared Kushner held talks with Putin in Moscow. Kushner, who is also involved in the negotiations, did not join Witkoff this time due to illness but is expected to participate virtually, as reported by The Telegraph.
The discussions in St. Petersburg are expected to focus on ending the war in Ukraine and possibly securing the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American imprisoned in Russia. The Kyiv Post reports that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated Russia will listen to U.S. proposals but ruled out political concessions.
President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to make a deal to end the war, suggesting that Russia has the upper hand on the battlefield. Trump has also been in discussions with Putin about the potential release of Hubbard, who is accused of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine.