US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday, October 21, as Washington renewed efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine towards a negotiated settlement after more than four years of war.
The meeting followed discussions in Oslo on Tuesday between Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and several European leaders. The talks focused on possible steps towards a peace agreement, including security guarantees for Ukraine, post-war reconstruction, and the future of occupied territories.
According to the “Associated Press” Witkoff said he hoped to discuss restarting trilateral negotiations involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine, allowing technical teams to work on the next steps towards a settlement.
Putin thanked US President Donald Trump and Witkoff for their efforts to end the conflict. However, the meeting had not produced an announced peace agreement or an immediate breakthrough.
Washington Seeks to Revive Negotiations
The latest diplomatic effort comes as Trump increases pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement with Moscow.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump urged Zelenskyy to make a deal, warning that failure to reach an agreement could have serious consequences for Ukraine.
US officials described the Oslo discussions as constructive, saying Ukraine had presented new ideas and that participants had made progress towards a coordinated approach to engaging Russia.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who attended the discussions, also said the meeting had made genuine progress.
Zelenskyy has maintained that freezing the fighting along the current front line would be a minimum step towards ending the war. Ukraine has also raised questions about future security guarantees, the status of occupied territories, and arrangements for reconstruction.
Russia and Ukraine, however, remain far apart on the terms of a potential settlement.
Fighting Continues Despite Diplomatic Efforts
The renewed talks are taking place alongside continued military attacks.
Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes overnight into Wednesday killed five people and injured 25 others. Three people were reported killed in Kyiv, while two died in the Kharkiv region.
Ukraine also reported damage to residential buildings and attacks on energy infrastructure. Russia, meanwhile, said its air defences had intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones overnight.
The continued fighting illustrates the gap between diplomatic efforts and conditions on the battlefield. Although both sides have continued military operations, there has been no confirmed agreement on a comprehensive ceasefire.
What Happens Next?
Witkoff said he would share the outcome of the Oslo discussions with Putin and explore whether trilateral negotiations could resume. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also suggested that Russia might be looking for opportunities to engage diplomatically.
The next stage will depend on whether Moscow and Kyiv can agree on the terms of further negotiations, particularly on territorial questions, security arrangements, and a possible ceasefire.
For now, the meeting represents another attempt to revive diplomacy rather than evidence that an agreement is imminent.
