Witkoff meets Putin, brings documents on U.S. approach to ending Ukraine war

Russia’s TASS news agency reported that Witkoff described his talks in Oslo with Ukrainian and European representatives as constructive. He said “there is already a basis for reaching a ceasefire.”

Witkoff also expressed hope that trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States would resume. On behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump, he thanked Putin for the “diesel deal.”

Putin claimed that following the agreement, “prices on global markets fell by 5–6%.”

Russian propaganda news agency Interfax reported that Witkoff’s meeting with Putin had begun at Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg.

Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, is also attending the meeting. Dmitriev met Witkoff at Pulkovo-3 Airport upon his arrival.

Interfax reported that another Trump representative, Jared Kushner, was unable to travel to St. Petersburg because he had fallen ill. Kushner participated by video link in Witkoff’s talks with President Zelenskyy the previous day.

Witkoff traveled to St. Petersburg a day after talks in Oslo, Norway, on Oct. 20. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also participated in the negotiations.

The New York Times previously reported that Trump had become more insistent that Zelenskyy agree to a peace deal with Russia ahead of the negotiations.