A trusted associate of the former US president met with the Russian head of state for over four hours in St. Petersburg.
Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for Donald Trump, has left Russia discreetly after a four-hour meeting with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. The meeting’s details remain scarce.
The discussions, the third known encounter between Witkoff and Putin, took place at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library. Both Moscow and Washington have been tight-lipped about the specifics. Here’s what is known.
Unannounced Trip to St. Petersburg
Witkoff’s recent visit to Russia was not announced in advance. An aircraft connected to the US envoy was tracked flying from Florida to St. Petersburg overnight. He was later seen with Russian presidential aide Kirill Dmitriev before the talks. Previous Witkoff-Putin meetings occurred in Moscow.
Kremlin Provides Limited Information
The Kremlin stated the four-hour conversation centered on “aspects of the settlement of the Ukraine conflict,” but offered no further clarification. Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesman, previously suggested potential topics including US-Russia relations, a possible Trump-Putin meeting, and concerns Moscow wished to communicate via a trusted Trump representative.
White House Statement on the Visit
Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, stated Witkoff’s trip was part of Trump’s broader initiative to negotiate a ceasefire and peace agreement in Ukraine. “This is another step in the negotiating process,” Leavitt commented, without elaborating.
Putin’s Aide Visits Washington
Witkoff’s visit followed a trip to Washington by Russian presidential aide Kirill Dmitriev for discussions with senior Trump officials. Dmitriev, an advisor to Putin on international economic cooperation, described the discussions with Witkoff on Friday as “productive” in a post on X, welcoming the US envoy to St. Petersburg.
Current Status of Russia-US Discussions on Ukraine
During a White House meeting with Donald Trump the previous week, Witkoff suggested that recognizing Russian control over Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson would be the quickest way to end the war, according to media reports. General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, reportedly countered, emphasizing Ukraine would not accept territorial concessions. Witkoff defended his stance in a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, mentioning the referendums in those regions. Reports indicate the White House meeting concluded without a decision from Trump, who has repeatedly stated his goal to broker a ceasefire by May.
What’s Expected?
Peskov mentioned that another phone conversation between Putin and Trump is “theoretically possible” after Witkoff’s visit, depending on how the negotiations progress. The two leaders last spoke on March 18 and have both publicly indicated their willingness to meet in person when the timing is appropriate.
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