Three hours of negotiations, compliments for Vladimir Putin, new peace proposals, and a promise to resume dialogue only in November. The visit of US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Russia ended with optimistic statements from the Kremlin but no concrete agreements on ending the war in Ukraine.
On October 21, Witkoff met with Putin in St. Petersburg after holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo. It was the American envoy’s ninth meeting with the Russian leader since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Putin is a humanitarian, but the Kremlin is unimpressed by Ukraine’s proposals
The talks began with unexpected praise. Witkoff thanked Putin for releasing 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, who was captured by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2022 and later sentenced to nearly seven years in prison.
“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. But you, Mr. President, are also a humanitarian. I give you credit for that, I deeply appreciate it, and I thank you once again,” Witkoff told Putin.
The American envoy then presented the Russian leader with documents outlining new proposals for ending the war.
However, Moscow’s response was reserved. Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said Witkoff had briefed the Kremlin on new approaches proposed by Ukraine and European countries, but the Russian side saw little positive in them.
According to Ushakov, the Americans also acknowledged that Europe’s position had shifted, although Russia was “not entirely satisfied” with those changes.
Moscow promises more talks, but no ceasefire
Despite this, Ushakov claimed that the process was moving toward an end to the war.
“We are moving toward an end to the conflict in Ukraine,” the Kremlin official said.
According to him, Putin expressed readiness to resume trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States around November 10โ19. The next round could take place in Abu Dhabi at the expert level.
Moscow wants the main focus to be the creation of a postwar security framework for Russia and Ukraine. Putin will personally determine the composition of the Russian delegation.
At the same time, no concrete agreements on halting hostilities were announced following the meeting.
Moreover, according to Ushakov, Putin told Witkoff about the Russian military’s alleged success in destroying facilities belonging to Ukraine’s defense industry.
Witkoff confirms further trilateral talks
Following his meeting with Putin, Witkoff also commented publicly on the negotiations, describing the discussions in Oslo and St. Petersburg as constructive.
In a post on X, the US special envoy said he and Jared Kushner had met with Russian, Ukrainian, and European leaders to advance President Trump’s efforts to end the war.
“In St. Petersburg, we met with President Putin to build on the progress made in Oslo with President Zelenskyy, discuss a peace framework, and thank President Putin for releasing American citizen Stephen Hubbard to return home to his family,” Witkoff wrote.
He also confirmed that negotiations would continue in a trilateral format involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine at the technical level.
“These discussions were constructive, and will continue with trilateral talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine at the technical level,” he stated.
Witkoff emphasized that significant work remains before a peace agreement can be reached, but said Trump remains committed to ending the war and achieving a lasting peace that would ensure security and prosperity for future generations.
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However, the American envoy did not announce a specific date for the next round of negotiations or any agreement on a ceasefire.
Peace negotiations and big money
Economic relations between Moscow and Washington were another major topic of discussion. According to the Kremlin, Putin and Witkoff held detailed talks about potential large-scale joint projects and the restoration of economic cooperation.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s representative for investment and economic cooperation, also participated in the negotiations. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who was unable to attend in person due to illness, joined remotely.
The possibility of a meeting between Donald Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, was also discussed. However, Ushakov acknowledged that even such a meeting would not automatically resolve the war in Ukraine.
Trump wants peace before the end of the year
Meanwhile, according to The Atlantic, citing sources among the US president’s advisers, Trump hopes to secure a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia before the end of 2026.
The publication reports that one scenario under consideration involves signing the agreement during the December G20 summit in Miami, potentially at Trump’s own golf club. These plans have not been officially confirmed.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, insists that the most difficult issues, including territorial disputes, must be resolved through a face-to-face meeting between the presidents of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.
For now, the St. Petersburg talks have left more questions than answers. Moscow claims peace is getting closer, yet it is postponing the next round of negotiations for several weeks, criticizing proposals from Kyiv and Europe, and simultaneously discussing economic opportunities with Washington.
The central question remains unanswered: Is Putin genuinely prepared to make compromises, or is the Kremlin once again using diplomacy to buy time?
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