According to Vladimir Putin’s closest assistant, Russia is “ready in principle” to start negotiations on a settlement with the US and Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov was speaking following Putin’s meeting with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Ushakov stated that a fresh round of negotiations might take place next month, potentially in Abu Dhabi, in response to pressure from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and its European supporters for a speedy restart of the discussions that were halted in February.
Quick Fact
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What Happened | Russia released American citizen Stephen Hubbard. |
| Location | St Petersburg, Russia |
| Key Figures | Steve Witkoff, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and JD Vance |
| Main Development | Witkoff praised Putin following Hubbard's release. |
| Trump's Response | Trump said no prisoner exchange was necessary. |
| JD Vance's Response | Vance defended Witkoff's diplomatic approach. |
Russia delays peace talks amid battlefield gains
Witkoff traveled to St. Petersburg after meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, as well as the leaders of Norway and Finland on Monday in Oslo.
Ushakov stated that their ideas were not very “useful.” Top officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the US have held multiple rounds of talks aimed at ending the war that started in February 2022 when Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
For months, Russia has refused to hold talks because it believes it is winning on the battlefield.
US Proposes Trilateral Russia Ukraine Talks
The goal of the negotiations, he said, must be “building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the conflict.”
Witkoff and another important negotiator, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, had suggested “a trilateral meeting at the technical level between the US, Russia, and Ukraine” during Tuesday’s negotiations in the Norwegian capital, a US official subsequently told the press.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, “This was accepted by the Ukrainians in Oslo yesterday and by the Russians in St Petersburg today.”
Ukraine Conflict Deepens Amid US Tensions
Ukraine and its European allies are disputing Putin’s claim, suggesting a near-total standoff on the front.
The dispute between the US and Ukraine was intensifying at the time of the summits in St. Petersburg and Oslo.
Most recently, Trump stated that it is time “for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine” and that Ukraine needs a new president.
Trump has also attempted to attribute increased fuel costs since the beginning of the US-led war on Iran on Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries before of next month’s US midterm elections.
Vance Defends Witkoff’s Praise of Putin
Witkoff referred to Putin as a “humanitarian” for approving the release, while Trump stated that the former instructor was “on his way back home” and that “there was no ‘swap’ necessary”.
US Vise President JD Vance responded, “I agree with Steve Witkoff saying something nice to a person who just released an American hostage,” when a reporter questioned if he agreed with this portrayal of the Kremlin leader.
Steve Witkoff is a diplomat, regardless of whether you agree with the underlying idea. It is his responsibility to go over there and do a task.
