Witkoff meets Putin in St. Petersburg after Ukraine-US deal on peace proposals

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, with ending Russia's war against Ukraine described as the primary focus of the engagement.

Witkoff was met at the palace by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries. Jared Kushner, also involved in Ukraine peace negotiations, did not travel to Russia due to illness but was expected to join remotely.

Russian presidential foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin was in St. Petersburg and scheduled to meet Witkoff. Ushakov said he did not know if any agreement would be reached that day, but noted that "discussions regarding the Ukrainian conflict are, naturally, the primary focus of today's engagement."

The visit followed Witkoff's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described that meeting as positive, saying Witkoff would relay its outcomes to the Russian side.

Zelensky said Ukraine and the US had agreed on a series of proposals to end the war, including security guarantees for Kyiv, and confirmed that intelligence sharing with the US had resumed. He said progress on Patriot interceptors and Starlink restrictions could come within 48 hours.

Hours after Zelensky met Witkoff in Oslo, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine "has to want to make a deal" to end Russia's war, claiming Washington and Europe had spent "a fortune" on Kyiv and that Europe was tired of the conflict. Trump also said the US had received "nothing back other than high diesel." Kyiv has repeatedly rejected claims that it is obstructing peace efforts.

Zelensky has offered a full ceasefire and proposed direct talks with Putin, while 51 countries signed a joint statement at the UN General Assembly in September urging Moscow to accept an immediate truce. Russia has rejected such proposals, with Lavrov saying the Kremlin would not pause its war even during potential negotiations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signalled limits ahead of the talks, saying Russia would listen to US proposals but ruled out political concessions.

Witkoff's latest visit marks the US envoy's first trip to Russia since Sept. 5, when they held three hours of talks with Putin and senior Russian officials in Moscow before traveling to Kyiv for the first time during their tenure. Tensions between Kyiv and Washington escalated on Oct. 9, when Trump announced a diesel deal with Putin as a Ukrainian delegation was holding peace talks with US officials in Miami.