Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow calls Putin-Witkoff talks ‘productive’ as US boasts of ‘leverage’
A senior Russian official who attended the talks between president Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff called them “productive”.
“Welcome to Saint Petersburg, Russia,” Kirill Dmitriev, Mr Putin’s foreign investment envoy, said in a post on X. “Productive discussions with @SteveWitkoff.”
A White House spokesperson earlier said Mr Trump would use his influence over Russia to negotiate a peace deal. Karoline Leavitt said: “We believe we have leverage in negotiating a deal to a peace deal, and we’re going to use that leverage, and the president is determined to see this through.”
The US president had warned that “Russia has to get moving” on a ceasefire. “Russia has to get moving. Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war,” he said on social media.
Mr Witkoff held talks with Mr Putin for more than two hours. The pair shook hands when they first met in St Petersburg.
“The theme of the meeting is aspects of a Ukrainian settlement,” the Kremlin said in a statement after the meeting ended.
