U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump Urges Moscow to Act as Special Envoy Meets Putin for Ukraine Talksn in St. Petersburg on Friday to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting, which lasted over four and a half hours, remains shrouded in secrecy, with no details of the discussions released by the .
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov hinted at the possibility of another phone call between Putin and Trump following the meeting, according to Russian media outlet Interfax. This potential dialogue underscores the ongoing diplomatic push by the U.S. to mediate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump amplified pressure on Russia through his Truth Social platform, urging Moscow to “get moving” and end the war. He expressed frustration over the devastating human toll, stating, “Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war – A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has been advocating for a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine. While Kyiv has agreed to a U.S.-proposed truce, Russia has yet to make concessions, leading to concerns among Ukraine and its Western allies that Moscow may be deliberately stalling negotiations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently warned that Washington would not tolerate “endless negotiations” with Russia over the conflict. Witkoff’s latest meeting with Putin marks his third visit to Russia this year, as the Trump administration continues its efforts to broker peace in the region.
