Witkoff Lands in St. Petersburg for Putin Talks as Kremlin Plays Down Hopes of a Deal

US special envoy Steve Witkoff touched down in St. Petersburg on Wednesday morning for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, carrying a revised plan to end the war in Ukraine that was worked out with Kyiv and European governments in Oslo a day earlier (see our earlier coverage). The Kremlin, however, moved quickly to lower expectations, with presidential aide Yuri Ushakov saying he did not know whether any agreement would be reached during the visit.

A low-key arrival and a cautious host

Witkoff was greeted at Pulkovo Airport by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, who is also due to sit in on the talks. Ushakov said Putin would receive the American delegation at the Constantine Palace on the city's outskirts in the first half of the day, and that the conflict in Ukraine would be the central subject.

Jared Kushner, who has worked alongside Witkoff on the Ukraine file, did not make the trip in person after falling ill. Some reports said he could still follow proceedings by video link.

What Witkoff is bringing

A US official briefed on the Oslo round described the talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as constructive and said Kyiv tabled new ideas. According to that account, the framework now covers three broad pillars: security guarantees for Ukraine, an economic plan for the post-war period, and a wider European security arrangement. Washington's stated aim is to use the St. Petersburg meeting to open a path towards direct three-way talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine, and eventually a broader multilateral process.

That goal already looks contested. President Donald Trump told reporters this week that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders do not necessarily need to be in the same room, while Putin has consistently avoided a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky. Several outlets have reported that Moscow would prefer a direct summit with Trump, potentially in China next month, an arrangement Kyiv fears would sideline it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also signalled that Moscow will hear the American ideas but is not prepared to make political concessions, which leaves little obvious room for a breakthrough.

The prisoner question

A second item on the agenda is the case of Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old American detained by Russian forces in Ukraine's Kharkiv region in 2022 and later jailed on mercenary charges. Russia's foreign ministry has confirmed it is in discussions with Washington about a possible prisoner release, though it gave no detail. A release would be the most tangible result Witkoff could bring home from this trip.

Why it matters beyond Europe

The meeting comes as fighting continues. Russian drones killed two elderly residents in Ukraine's Kharkiv region overnight, while a Ukrainian drone strike set fire to an oil transit facility in Russia's Tambov region. NATO, separately, said it is sending extra patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea after a string of attacks on commercial ships.

For energy importers such as India, the talks matter mainly through oil. Strikes on Russian refineries and Black Sea shipping have fed into diesel and crude prices that have stayed elevated for weeks, so any credible sign of de-escalation could ease pressure on fuel costs. Equally, a visit that ends without progress would keep that risk premium in place. Neither side had issued a readout of the meeting at the time of writing.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.