Russian President Vladimir Putin held a private meeting with Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy appointed by former President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg on Friday to discuss resolving the Ukrainian conflict. Kremlin officials described the talks as a routine exchange but emphasized no immediate breakthroughs were anticipated.
The discussions centered on "various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement," according to a brief Kremlin statement, though no specific details were disclosed. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the closed-door nature of the meeting, underscoring its focus on navigating diplomatic pathways in the protracted conflict.
Prior to meeting Putin, Witkoff engaged in what Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev called "productive" discussions on economic cooperation. Dmitriev, acting as a special presidential envoy, hinted at bilateral interests in stabilizing regional economic ties despite political tensions.
Russian state media reported Witkoff’s visit as a single-day diplomatic mission, with the envoy arriving and departing St. Petersburg on Friday. The talks come amid heightened global scrutiny over potential resolutions to the Ukraine conflict, which remains a critical flashpoint in US-Russia relations.
