U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is preparing to present Russian President Vladimir Putin with a proposal for direct negotiations involving President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following diplomatic discussions in Norway aimed at securing a ceasefire.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to discuss a possible three-way meeting between Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Washington attempts to advance negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The diplomatic initiative follows talks in Oslo on Tuesday involving Zelenskyy, Witkoff, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. American, Ukrainian and European officials have been working on proposals intended to establish a framework for a ceasefire and further negotiations.
According to Politico’s reporting on the planned Russian meeting, Witkoff intends to raise the possibility of direct negotiations among the three presidents when he meets Russian officials.
The proposal represents an effort to move discussions beyond preliminary diplomatic consultations and bring the principal leaders into negotiations over the war’s most difficult unresolved issues.
No date or location has been announced for a potential summit, and Russia has not publicly accepted the proposed three-way format.
Støre confirmed that Witkoff would carry proposals developed by American and European officials to Russia following the Oslo discussions.
“Steve Witkoff will fly tomorrow to St. Petersburg where he will be meeting with Russian leadership and exchange ideas from this meeting and the proposals that have been worked on by European and American colleagues, and possibly pave the way for a meeting at leaders’ level,” the Norwegian prime minister said.
The Norwegian government’s announcement confirmed that Witkoff attended the discussions in person, while Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner participated remotely.
Støre said the involvement of American representatives followed a request from Ukraine to include Washington in the negotiations.
“Ukraine has requested that US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner join the meetings. I am pleased that they are able to participate,” Støre said.
The talks were intended to develop proposals that could be presented to Moscow while ensuring that Ukraine and European governments remained involved in the diplomatic process.
Zelenskyy said the possibility of a direct meeting among the three presidents was among the ideas discussed in Oslo.
“One of the important ideas is to move to a potential trilateral meeting of the leaders to address the issues that only the leaders can do,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president indicated that Witkoff’s discussions in Russia would provide an early indication of whether Moscow was willing to consider the proposal.
“Steve is going to Russia tomorrow, and let’s see what Putin has to say,” he added.
The Kremlin separately confirmed Tuesday that it hoped to arrange discussions between Putin and Witkoff concerning the latest proposals.
According to Reuters’ reporting on Moscow’s response, Russian officials said they wanted to hear the results of consultations involving Ukraine and European governments before determining how negotiations might proceed.
The Kremlin did not announce an agreement to participate in a summit with Trump and Zelenskyy.
The proposed meeting comes amid disagreements between Washington and Kyiv over American military assistance, Russian energy exports and Ukraine’s continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
Trump has increasingly criticized Zelenskyy’s approach to peace negotiations, suggesting that the Ukrainian president has complicated efforts to secure an agreement with Moscow.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump said Russia had “been fine on Ukraine” and questioned whether Zelenskyy should continue representing Kyiv in negotiations.
“I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine,” Trump said.
The comments followed earlier remarks in which Trump suggested that Ukraine might require different leadership to negotiate an end to the conflict.
His statements have contributed to concerns among Ukrainian and European officials that Washington is placing greater pressure on Kyiv than on Moscow to accept a settlement.
Trump has defended his diplomatic approach as an effort to stop the fighting and reduce the financial and economic consequences of the war.
A significant source of disagreement involves sanctions targeting Russian petroleum exports.
The administration recently eased restrictions affecting Russian diesel transactions, arguing that allowing additional fuel supplies into international markets could help reduce prices.
Trump also issued a waiver involving tougher sanctions measures that had been scheduled to take effect.
Ukraine and several European governments have expressed concern that easing restrictions could provide Moscow with additional revenue while Russian military operations continue.
The dispute has been intensified by Ukrainian drone attacks against Russian refineries and other energy facilities.
Kyiv maintains that Russian petroleum infrastructure contributes to financing and sustaining Moscow’s military campaign, making it a legitimate target for operations intended to weaken Russia’s war-making capabilities.
Trump, however, has criticized the attacks and urged both sides to avoid targeting energy infrastructure.
The disagreement has complicated efforts to negotiate a limited arrangement protecting fuel supplies and electricity systems.
According to Reuters’ coverage of Tuesday’s diplomatic meetings, the administration’s recent decisions on sanctions and military assistance have raised questions about the direction of American policy toward the conflict.
Ukraine has also reported delays in receiving American-made Patriot air-defense interceptors purchased with funding from European governments.
The missiles are essential to Ukraine’s ability to intercept certain Russian ballistic weapons, particularly those targeting cities and critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials have warned that shortages of interceptors could increase civilian casualties and damage to energy facilities as Russia intensifies its attacks.
Disagreements over military assistance have extended to American intelligence-sharing arrangements and satellite communications.
Kyiv recently reported interruptions in early-warning notifications concerning Russian ballistic missile launches, as well as restrictions affecting Starshield satellite services used in Ukrainian military operations.
The reported disruptions raised concerns that the Trump administration had deliberately restricted support in response to disagreements over Ukraine’s military strategy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected those allegations during a conversation with Zelenskyy.
Rubio said the problems involving missile warnings were technical rather than the result of instructions to withhold intelligence from Ukraine.
He also maintained that decisions concerning weapons deliveries must account for American military requirements and existing commitments to other allies.
The two officials discussed Patriot interceptors, the restoration of reliable missile warnings and satellite communications services.
Zelenskyy subsequently said the American early-warning system was operating again following discussions with U.S. officials.
The development offered some reassurance to Ukrainian authorities, although questions remain about the timing of interceptor deliveries and the full restoration of satellite capabilities.
The discussions in Oslo were partly intended to address those tensions while developing a broader diplomatic strategy.
According to an Axios report on Witkoff’s diplomatic mission, American, Ukrainian and European representatives have spent the past week working on proposals that could form the basis for renewed negotiations with Moscow.
The discussions involve potential ceasefire arrangements, security guarantees for Ukraine and other conditions necessary for a longer-term settlement.
European leaders have emphasized that Kyiv must participate directly in decisions affecting Ukrainian territory and national security.
They have also argued that any agreement must contain enforceable measures to prevent renewed military aggression.
The proposed negotiations face substantial disagreements over territory, including regions occupied by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Moscow has repeatedly demanded recognition of its territorial claims and limits on Ukraine’s future military relationships.
Ukraine has rejected proposals requiring it to formally surrender sovereignty over occupied territory and has insisted that any settlement must include credible security guarantees.
European governments have generally supported Kyiv’s position that Ukrainian authorities must determine the terms of an acceptable agreement.
The Oslo discussions included consideration of arrangements that could strengthen Ukraine’s postwar security and reduce the possibility of renewed fighting.
Støre said Norway and Finland wanted to help restore constructive diplomatic engagement among the governments involved.
The Norwegian prime minister emphasized that previous negotiations had taken place in multiple countries and that the latest meeting was intended to build on those efforts.
The diplomatic activity comes as Russia continues military operations against Ukraine, including extensive attacks on electricity infrastructure.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian energy officials reported that Russian strikes had damaged facilities in seven regions, causing power outages as the country prepared for colder weather.
The affected areas included Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi and Odesa.
According to Reuters’ report on the attacks, Ukrainian Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov accused Russia of conducting systematic operations against civilian energy supplies.
“Unfortunately, the enemy continues to deliberately and systematically attack our energy infrastructure,” Nekrasov said.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported that three of its facilities in the Odesa region were struck overnight.
The company said approximately 32,700 households remained without electricity following the attacks.
Additional strikes were reported against infrastructure in western Ukraine, including the Lviv region, where local officials warned that damage to electricity facilities could disrupt essential services.
Ukrainian authorities also reported civilian deaths during separate attacks, including a drone strike near a highway south of Kyiv that killed three people.
The continuing bombardment illustrates the difficulty of advancing peace negotiations while military operations remain active.
Russia has also reported attacks against commercial shipping and logistics facilities connected to Ukraine’s transportation network.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its forces struck three cargo vessels in the Ukrainian Danube port of Reni and two additional vessels traveling toward Odesa.
According to a Reuters report on the Russian military’s statements, Moscow also claimed to have attacked logistics facilities in the Volyn region and Khmelnytskyi.
Russian officials asserted that the vessels and facilities were being used for military purposes.
Those claims were not independently verified in the report.
Attacks involving ports and cargo vessels have implications beyond military operations because Ukraine relies on maritime and river transportation for agricultural exports and other commercial shipments.
Damage to energy infrastructure and transportation facilities also increases the economic costs of the conflict, complicating reconstruction planning and humanitarian assistance.
Despite the continued fighting, American and European officials are seeking to determine whether the latest proposals can produce an initial ceasefire or establish conditions for more comprehensive negotiations.
The Financial Times reported on the Oslo diplomatic discussions, noting that Witkoff and Kushner’s participation reflected a renewed effort to coordinate Washington’s approach with Ukraine and European allies.
The negotiations also come as Trump considers broader diplomatic engagement with Putin.
The president has indicated that direct discussions with the Russian leader could be necessary to resolve the war, although he has not committed to a particular summit format.
Asked whether Putin and Zelenskyy would need to meet face to face, Trump suggested that negotiations could proceed through alternative arrangements.
“I mean, [it] depends. They don’t have to be in the same room. I guess I can do it another way. It’s hard for them to be in the same room. I don’t care how it’s done,” Trump said, according to a report summarizing his comments and the proposed summit.
The remarks indicate that the administration remains open to different negotiating formats even as Witkoff prepares to discuss the possibility of a three-way meeting.
For Ukraine, direct participation remains a central concern.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly argued that any peace settlement negotiated without Kyiv’s involvement would lack legitimacy and risk imposing conditions unacceptable to the Ukrainian public.
European governments have similarly maintained that decisions concerning Ukrainian territory and security cannot be made exclusively between Washington and Moscow.
The latest initiative seeks to address those concerns by bringing proposals developed with Ukrainian and European participation directly to Russian officials.
Whether Putin will accept the proposed format remains uncertain.
Moscow has previously expressed willingness to continue discussions with the United States while maintaining demands concerning territory and Ukraine’s security arrangements.
Witkoff’s scheduled visit to St. Petersburg will provide an opportunity to determine whether Russian officials are prepared to consider a meeting involving all three presidents.
It will also allow Washington to assess Moscow’s response to proposals developed during the Oslo negotiations.
No ceasefire agreement has been announced, and neither Russia nor Ukraine has indicated that it is prepared to suspend all military operations immediately.
The planned talks therefore represent another diplomatic attempt rather than a confirmed breakthrough.
As Witkoff prepares to meet Russian officials Wednesday, the immediate questions are whether Moscow will accept direct negotiations with Trump and Zelenskyy, whether the parties can agree on preliminary ceasefire conditions and how Ukraine’s security concerns will be addressed.
The answers will determine whether the initiative advances toward a presidential summit or remains another round of discussions amid the continuing war.
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