US envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in St Petersburg to meet Putin after Oslo talks

Arrival in St Petersburg Steve Witkoff, the United States’ special envoy for Ukraine, arrived in St Petersburg on Wednesday morning. He was greeted by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the airport, according to Reuters and Deutsche Welle reports.

Purpose of the Meeting The meeting is aimed at discussing proposals for ending Russia’s long‑running war in Ukraine. A US official said Witkoff will convey the outcomes of his Oslo talks with President Zelensky and seek a pathway toward direct trilateral and broader multilateral negotiations.

Oslo Talks with Zelensky Witkoff had travelled from Norway, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials. The discussions were described by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “positive” or “constructive” by Reuters. Zelensky thanked Washington for the resumption of intelligence sharing on Russian missile attacks, saying the early‑warning system was now working.

Intelligence Sharing and Drone Operations Zelensky highlighted that the intelligence sharing had enabled Kyiv to receive warnings of incoming ballistic missile attacks, which had reportedly been suspended last week on orders from the White House. The US has denied any involvement in a reported slowdown of Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, a claim that was attributed to Elon Musk by a Wall Street Journal report.

Russian Response Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin would listen to Witkoff’s proposals but ruled out any political concessions. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov noted that the main focus of the discussions would be the conflict in Ukraine, though he did not predict an agreement.

Virtual Participation Trump’s son‑in‑law, Jared Kushner, will participate in the meeting via video link, according to a US official. Kushner had also taken part remotely in the Oslo talks.

Broader Context The meeting comes amid a broader effort to calm tensions between Kyiv and Washington after a dispute over a diesel‑supply deal with Russia. Trump has called for a deal with Russia and has urged Zelensky to consider terms he offered during a televised row in February 2025.

Current Situation in Ukraine Separately, Russian drones have killed two people near Kharkiv, and a Russian airstrike hit a high‑storey apartment building in Kyiv, causing fires. A strike on a university in Kremenchuk injured two civilians, according to local authorities.

Outlook While no agreement has yet been announced, the talks represent a continued attempt by the United States to broker a resolution to the conflict. The outcome will be closely watched by both Ukrainian and Russian officials, as well as the international community.