Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff presented American proposals to end the war in Ukraine in talks with Vladimir Putin on 21 October 2026, which lasted more than three hours according to Peskov.
Peskov said Putin will examine all of Witkoff's proposals, but that much depends on how far Ukrainians are willing to commit to a peaceful solution.
Peskov said Moscow's position on an energy truce had not changed and that Russia needs peace rather than a ceasefire, after Trump announced an energy truce about ten days earlier.
Putin said 40,000 tonnes of diesel would ship shortly and raised a possible meeting with Trump in China on the sidelines of an APEC summit in November 2026.
Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on 21 October 2026 and brought American proposals to end the war in Ukraine. He opened the meeting by thanking Putin for calling Trump a benefactor and returning the compliment. The war is marked by daily Russian attacks on the civilian population, the backdrop to the talks. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the meeting lasted more than three hours and covered the peace process in Ukraine. The Russian side included presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin's special representative for foreign investment, while Peskov said Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, took part remotely.
Peskov said that all the proposals Witkoff brought would be examined by Putin, but that much depends on how far Ukrainians are prepared to commit to a peaceful solution. He called progress toward settling the conflict theoretically possible, while stating that it cannot be fully resolved without someone in Kyiv taking a responsible decision. He said that if Ukraine does not take the necessary decisions, Kyiv's situation would worsen. Russia will analyse the American proposals, and the talks between Putin and Witkoff will be serious and long-lasting, he said.
Moscow's opposition to an energy truce with Ukraine, which would cover strikes on energy facilities, has not changed, Peskov told Tass. He said Russia needs peace rather than a ceasefire. Zelensky had pushed for such an energy truce, and Trump announced one about ten days before these remarks. Peskov's comments were reported on the morning of 21 October, before the talks began in St Petersburg.
Putin said Trump had stressed the need to end the conflict, mainly because of losses on both sides, citing their latest phone call. Putin also said that 40,000 tonnes of diesel would ship shortly, and a diesel arrangement between Moscow and Washington was on the agenda. During the conversation, Putin's decision to release the American citizen Stephen Hubbard was also mentioned. Putin wants to discuss a possible meeting with Trump in China on the sidelines of an APEC summit in November 2026. The talks also covered the situation in the Gulf, and Putin said Russia is ready to help resolve the Iranian crisis if it can.
Paula Pinho, a spokesperson for the European Commission, said at a press briefing that Ukraine must be present at any meeting discussing Ukraine, and that organizers and partners decide what to discuss. Her answer concerned whether the EU would take part in a proposed meeting of the leaders of Russia, the United States and China, which Putin proposed to negotiate an end to the conflict. Zelensky has floated the idea of freezing the conflict with Russia. Peskov also announced that Putin would meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang later on 21 October.
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US envoy Steve Witkoff brought Washington's proposals to end the war in Ukraine to talks with Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, which lasted more than three hours. The Kremlin says Moscow will examine them, but much depends on Kyiv.
AI text based on reports by Il Messaggero, Adnkronos, Nasz Dziennik and other publishers. Published .