Putin, Witkoff Dialogue on Potential Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

In a high-stakes diplomatic move, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for a three-hour conversation to break the deadlock in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff, left, ahead of their meeting in Moscow.
[Photo: Kristina Kormilitsyna/Pool/AFP]

According to the Kremlin, the meeting brought the two sides' positions “closer,” raising cautious optimism about the possibility of restarting direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv for the first time since the war's early stages in 2022.

This marks Witkoff’s third extended meeting with Putin since former US President Donald Trump re-entered the global diplomatic scene with renewed efforts to end the conflict, now well into its fourth year. 

Witkoff, a businessman turned envoy, has emerged as a key figure in Washington’s backchannel efforts to facilitate peace, positioning himself as Trump’s most trusted intermediary with the Kremlin.

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, widespread displacement, and a deep geopolitical rift between Russia and the West. 

Despite multiple failed ceasefire attempts and stalled peace proposals, this latest round of engagement signals a potential shift in tone.

No specific details of the meeting were released, but the Kremlin’s statement that “positions have moved closer” suggests there may be alignment on certain preconditions for talks. Whether Ukraine is directly involved in this evolving track remains unclear. 

Kyiv has previously insisted on restoring its territorial integrity as a non-negotiable starting point.

The international community remains cautiously hopeful but skeptical, as previous signals of progress have often failed to materialize into concrete steps. 

Still, the sustained channel between Witkoff and Putin may serve as a critical diplomatic thread in what remains one of the most dangerous and entrenched conflicts in Europe’s modern history.