Special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, 68, engaged in extensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding potential peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
According to the New York Post, Witkoff expressed optimism about achieving a "permanent peace" following his five-hour meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, despite returning without concrete agreements.
The Trump administration's dual-track diplomatic approach involves Witkoff handling negotiations with Russia while Gen. Keith Kellogg serves as special envoy to Ukraine. While Ukraine has already agreed to a complete cease-fire, securing Russia's commitment to peace terms has proven more challenging.
Witkoff's proposal involves supporting Russia's annexation of five territories comprising approximately 25% of Ukraine's eastern region. The real estate investor's positive assessment of Putin has raised eyebrows among diplomatic circles.
The Kremlin described the talks as productive but emphasized that substantive discussions about a potential Putin-Trump meeting did not occur. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that rebuilding US-Russia relations would require patience and extensive diplomatic work.
Trump has maintained distance from the conflict, characterizing it as "Biden's war" on Truth Social. He emphasized his administration's previous success in preventing the conflict during his first term.
Zelensky used a "60 Minutes" interview to implore Trump to witness Ukraine's devastation firsthand, stating:
We want you to come. You think you understand what's going on here. Okay, we respect your position. You understand. But, please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead. Come, look, and then let's — let's move with a plan how to finish the war.
The Ukrainian leader's emotional appeal highlighted the human cost of the ongoing conflict, which has entered its third year.
Witkoff shared his optimistic outlook on Fox News' Sean Hannity show, saying:
I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large. This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there's so much more to it.
However, Gen. Kellogg has expressed skepticism about the proposed territorial concessions, noting that such terms would likely be rejected by Kyiv's leadership.
The high-stakes negotiations between Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin represent a significant effort to end the three-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
While Witkoff returned from St. Petersburg expressing optimism about potential peace prospects, the proposed solution involving territorial concessions faces opposition from Ukraine's representatives.
As diplomatic channels remain open, the success of these negotiations hinges on bridging the substantial gaps between Russian territorial demands and Ukraine's determination to maintain its sovereignty.
