Editor's Note: This is a developing story.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded their talks, which focused on the "Ukrainian settlement," the Kremlin said on April 11.
The talks, held in St. Petersburg, mark Witkoff's third in-person meeting with Putin.
"The topic of the meeting was aspects of the Ukrainian settlement," the Kremlin said in a statement published after the talks. No further details were provided as to the content of the discussions.
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who was present at the meeting between Putin and Witkoff, called the talks "productive." Dmitriev also held a separate meeting with Witkoff earlier in the day.
Witkoff has now left Russia, according to flight tracking data.
The April 11 meeting follows a second round of diplomatic talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Istanbul. The talks focused on embassy operations and the war in Ukraine was reportedly not discussed.
Witkoff's latest meeting with Putin comes as Moscow continues to reject U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for a complete ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has not only refused a full ceasefire, but has also continued to barrage Ukrainian cities with attacks and repeatedly violated the partial truce established in mid-March.
Witkoff has told Trump that giving Russia "ownership" of four illegally occupied Ukrainian regions would be the fastest way to achieve a ceasefire, Reuters reported on April 11, citing two unnamed U.S. officials and five other undisclosed sources.
According to Reuters, Witkoff conveyed this proposal to Trump after meeting with Dmitriev in early April.
Witkoff has courted controversy by parroting Russian propaganda regarding the illegal occupation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporishzhia, and Kherson oblasts.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.
We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.
Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?
(Updated: )
