Russian President Vladimir Putin met US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday (21 Oct), a day after Witkoff held talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European and NATO representatives aimed at coordinating proposals for a potential peace process in Ukraine.
Participants described the Oslo discussions as constructive and said they made progress towards a coordinated diplomatic approach.
During the St Petersburg meeting, Putin thanked US President Donald Trump for his efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, saying Trump had emphasised “the importance of ending this conflict to prevent further losses”. He also expressed interest in restoring bilateral relations and expanding Russia-US economic cooperation.
Witkoff said the Oslo discussions had created “some degree of momentum” and expressed hope the meeting would be “another step forward in this peace process”. He proposed resuming trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States, adding that “the world is waiting for us to get there”. The two sides also discussed the Middle East, including Iran, alongside energy and economic cooperation.
The meeting reflects renewed diplomatic momentum after Steve Witkoff’s talks in Oslo, but significant obstacles remain. Recent tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have exposed differences over military support, sanctions and the direction of peace negotiations, even as both sides now express support for renewed trilateral talks.
On the battlefield, Russian forces continue to make gradual advances in eastern Ukraine while long-range strikes by both sides persist, underscoring that military pressure remains central to each side’s negotiating strategy.
Whether the latest diplomatic engagement can translate into substantive progress will depend on bridging political divisions while developments on the front line continue to shape the balance of leverage.
Follow on social media TikTok@tut0ughInstagram@tut0ugh Threads@tut0ugh X@tut0ugh YouTube@tut0ugh
