U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Friday, focusing on a potential peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. 

The meeting comes amid stalled U.S.-Russia dialogue over conditions for a ceasefire. Trump has urged Russia to expedite negotiations, citing the high human cost of the conflict, and threatened secondary sanctions on nations purchasing Russian oil if progress remains slow.

Putin greeted Witkoff at the presidential library, with discussions reportedly involving Russia's demands for Ukraine not to join NATO, limits on its military size, and recognition of Russian claims over four Ukrainian regions.

Moscow views its battlefield position as advantageous and insists that Kyiv must make concessions, while Ukraine rejects these terms as capitulation.

The Kremlin has hinted at a possible Trump-Putin meeting but downplayed the significance of Witkoff's visit, suggesting no major breakthroughs were expected. The talks also coincide with heightened U.S. tensions with Iran and China, both close allies of Moscow.

Witkoff has previously played a significant role in U.S.-Russia relations, including facilitating prisoner exchanges and advocating Trump's "peace through strength" strategy. His optimism about Putin's willingness for peace contrasts with scepticism among NATO allies regarding Moscow's intentions. Meanwhile, Trump has escalated criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and linked U.S. aid to Ukraine's rare mineral resources.

Reuters