Putin Delays Meeting With Trump's Envoy Witkoff for Eight Hours

Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, experienced a significant diplomatic snub during his visit to Moscow, waiting eight hours before meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss a proposed 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict. This delay, interpreted as a 'classic Putin power play', occurred while Putin attended an unexpected meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that Putin provided Witkoff with insights to relay to Trump, while reiterating that any ceasefire must address the underlying issues of the conflict. Putin expressed conditional support for a truce but emphasized that it should lead to long-term peace and resolve the crisis's root causes. Analysts suggest the Kremlin's timing and Witkoff's lengthy wait were deliberate moves to assert control over the diplomatic narrative. Trump, in response, expressed optimism about the prospects for peace following discussions with Witkoff and Putin.