Key Takeaways
- US envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Russian President Putin in Saint Petersburg.
- Following positive talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky, aimed at resolving feuds.
- Meeting includes Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner participating virtually.
US envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Saint Petersburg to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following positive talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting is part of efforts to mend a bitter feud between the US and Ukraine over the ongoing war with Russia.
During a visit to Oslo, Zelensky thanked Washington for resuming US intelligence sharing on Russian strikes, describing the early warnings as 'very, very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians' when ballistic missiles were about to strike.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Witkoff would next head to Russia after the positive talks with Zelensky. Rubio said, 'He’ll now, armed with those ideas, be able to go to Saint Petersburg and share them with the Russian side — and let’s see if we can make some progress.'
Witkoff’s planned meeting with Putin on Wednesday will include Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner participating virtually, according to a US official.
The meeting comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Ukraine, with Trump calling on Zelensky to resign and criticizing him for not accepting terms offered during a televised row in the Oval Office in February 2025.
Ukraine has also reported a reduction in speeds on Starshield, the US military satellite system it uses for battlefield communications and strikes on Russian-occupied territory. Trump has denied ordering the reduction in speeds on Starshield, after Elon Musk said the order could only have come from the White House.
In a separate development, Trump said he had asked Putin to release Stephen Hubbard, an American taken captive by Russian forces years earlier in Ukraine, though it was not clear if the request would be raised in Wednesday’s talks.
The meeting is seen as a critical step in resolving the ongoing conflict and improving relations between the US and Russia, with both sides hoping for a positive outcome.
We are thankful that intelligence works.
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President
I’ve been talking to him at length. I’ve asked him to release him. Let’s see what happens.
Donald Trump, Former US President
