Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met in St. Petersburg on Wednesday as Ukraine faces a humanitarian crisis, with Russia planning to cut power in Kyiv and other cities to create a catastrophe.
The meeting follows a U.S. announcement that American teacher Stephen Hubbard, imprisoned in Russia, was released. Hubbard, who was accused of working with Ukraine as a mercenary, is now set to return home. The release was announced by President Trump on Truth Social, with no swap required for the release.
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues as schoolchildren in Kharkiv take shelter from bombings, with families of victims of a drone strike holding funerals. The White House has not addressed the deaths, focusing instead on pushing for Ukraine to surrender before the November midterm elections.
The Trump administration's approach to the conflict has been criticized for prioritizing political considerations over humanitarian concerns, with reports indicating that Russia's strategy includes intentionally causing a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine.