Witkoff-Putin Talks: No Ukraine Peace Deal Yet

Recent talks between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg have been described as 'extremely useful' by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, though no clear agreement has been reached regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Witkoff and Putin discussed potential peace deals involving the status of five territories, and Witkoff suggested to U.S. President Donald Trump that ceding control of four Ukrainian regions to Russia could expedite a ceasefire. Trump, who has taken a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow, accuses President Biden of being responsible for the ongoing conflict, labeling it 'Biden’s war.' However, Peskov noted that Russia and the U.S. are at the beginning stages of normalizing relations. Despite positive remarks regarding the talks, Russia continues to violate a partial ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. Witkoff's proposals and comments have attracted criticism for aligning closely with Kremlin narratives.