US special envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Russia for a high-stakes meeting with President Vladimir Putin, as Washington steps up diplomatic efforts to find a path toward ending the years-long war between Russia and Ukraine.
The meeting comes a day after Witkoff held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, Norway. A US official described those discussions as “constructive,” signaling continued efforts to build consensus among Washington, Kyiv and European allies over potential steps toward peace.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who also participated in the Oslo talks, said “genuine progress” had been made on proposals aimed at achieving peace. However, he offered few details and cautioned that patience would be necessary as diplomatic efforts continue.
Witkoff did not attend the joint press conference following Tuesday’s discussions in the Norwegian capital. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, another key figure in the diplomatic initiative, participated in the meeting via video link.
A US official subsequently described the discussions as “very productive and constructive,” highlighting what was characterized as “strong alignment at the working level” among the United States, Ukraine and European partners on the next steps.
Attention has now shifted to Moscow, where Putin’s response could prove pivotal to the future of the peace initiative. Zelensky and his European allies have stressed that Russia must respond to the proposals discussed in Oslo, placing the focus squarely on the Kremlin as diplomatic efforts move forward.
Putin has yet to publicly comment on the latest developments. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier said Moscow would listen to the proposals Witkoff brings, while firmly ruling out what he described as “any political concessions.”
Meanwhile, tensions over intelligence sharing between Washington and Kyiv appear to have eased, at least in part. Ukraine had previously accused the United States of withholding critical intelligence, a claim Washington dismissed as “scandalous.”
On Tuesday, however, Zelensky said intelligence sharing with the United States concerning Russian missile attacks was “working now,” suggesting that cooperation between the two countries remained active despite earlier disagreements.
Whether the latest diplomatic push can translate into concrete commitments remains to be seen. With Washington seeking common ground, Ukraine and its European partners awaiting Moscow’s response, and the Kremlin maintaining a firm position on political concessions, the upcoming talks could mark an important moment in the continuing search for an end to the war.
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