U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, part of efforts to resume trilateral peace talks with Ukraine. The meeting follows Trump's recent waiver of sanctions and comes as Russia continues its escalation in the Ukraine war.
Zelensky confirmed Ukraine will support trilateral talks with the U.S. and Russia after Putin claimed the Kremlin is ready. The agenda includes ceasefire, humanitarian initiatives, and return of diplomats, with talks likely in November.
The diplomatic push comes as Russia's attacks have caused unprecedented civilian casualties, with the U.N. reporting over 400 civilian deaths weekly. Zelensky expressed hope Russia will follow through on its previous commitments despite past delays.
Zelensky stressed the importance of including European partners in negotiations and highlighted security guarantees and reconstruction plans as key elements of the peace process.