Despite Russia playing down expectations of a breakthrough at the talks, Sky’s Ivor Bennett believes the meeting – Mr Witkoff’s third with Vladimir Putin this year – is significant as a sign of the Trump administration’s “increasing frustration at the lack of progress”.
Saturday 12 April 2025 00:37, UK
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Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin for talks in Russia – as the US president called on Moscow to “get moving” with ending the war in Ukraine.
Mr Witkoff, who has been pressing the Kremlin to accept a truce, visited Mr Putin in St Petersburg after earlier meeting the Russian leader’s international co-operation envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Mr Putin was shown on state TV greeting Mr Witkoff at the city’s presidential library at the start of the latest discussions about the search for a peace deal on Ukraine.
Before Friday’s meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down expectations of a breakthrough and told state media the visit would not be “momentous”.
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However, Sky News Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett said he believes the meeting – Mr Witkoff’s third with Mr Putin this year – is significant as a sign of the Trump administration’s “increasing frustration at the lack of progress on peace talks”.
Moscow correspondent
This is the third time Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin but it’s the first time we’ve actually seen them shaking hands and talking face-to-face. And that itself feels significant.
Their previous meetings over the past couple of months have been away from the cameras, but this time the Kremlin made the conscious decision to film the moment and publicise it.
I think it reflects how confident Russia feels right now in these negotiations – regarding the war in Ukraine and its relationship with the US.
Witkoff was in St Petersburg to push for a peace deal, with the White House apparently growing frustrated at the lack of progress.
But judging by the footage, Vladimir Putin was quite clearly the dominant figure in the meeting. He was the one leading and the more relaxed, while Witkoff appeared more like an embarrassed fanboy rather than a tough negotiator.
And the Kremlin has released this footage knowing that it’ll be splashed all over state media here and news bulletins abroad.
I think there are two aims. One is to show the Russian public that despite the talk from the Trump administration that they are calling the shots, it’s actually the Kremlin in control.
And the other is to taunt Ukraine, saying that we – Russia and America – are the ones who will decide your future, not you.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Trump issued his latest social media statement on trying to end the war, writing on Truth Social: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere [sic] 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!!!”
Dialogue between the US and Russia, aimed at agreeing a ceasefire ahead of a possible peace deal to end the war, has recently appeared to have stalled over disagreements around conditions for a full pause.
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Secondary sanctions could be imposed on countries that buy Russian oil, Mr Trump has said, if he feels Moscow is dragging its feet on a deal.
Mr Putin has said he is ready in principle to agree a full ceasefire, but argues crucial conditions have yet to be agreed – and that what he calls the root causes of the war have yet to be addressed.
The Russian president wants to dismantle Ukraine as an independent, functioning state and has demanded Kyiv recognise Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and other partly occupied areas, and pull its forces out, as well as a pledge for Ukraine to never join NATO and for the size of its army to be limited.
Zelenskyy renews support calls after attack on home city
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Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has renewed his appeals for more Patriot air defence systems after the deaths of 20 people, including nine children, who were killed when a Russian missile hit apartment buildings and a playground in his home city of Kryvyi Rih last week.
Speaking online at a meeting of the so-called Ramstein group of about 50 nations that provide military support to Ukraine, named after a previous meeting at America’s Ramstein air base in Germany in 2022, Mr Zelenskyy said recent Russian attacks showed Moscow was not ready to accept and implement any realistic and effective peace proposals.
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Mr Zelenskyy also made his evening address to the nation, saying: “Ukraine is not just asking – we are ready to buy appropriate additional systems.”
The UK’s defence secretary, John Healy, has said this is “the critical year” for Ukraine – and has confirmed £450m in funding for a military support package.
