Kremlin unveils content of Putin’s discussions with Trump envoy
(MENAFN) The Kremlin has announced that discussions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday focused on "aspects of the settlement of the Ukraine conflict," though no further details were provided. Witkoff visited Russia for the talks, which took place in St. Petersburg and lasted over four hours. Both Moscow and Washington have largely kept the content of the talks under wraps.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the purpose of Witkoff’s visit during a press briefing, confirming that the envoy’s mission was to facilitate direct communication with the Kremlin as part of a broader effort to negotiate a ceasefire and ultimately a peace agreement regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Internal divisions within the Trump administration reportedly arose after Witkoff allegedly proposed a ceasefire plan that would recognize Russian control over four eastern Ukrainian regions — Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson. This proposal was met with resistance from some officials, including General Keith Kellogg, who emphasized that Ukraine would not accept full territorial concessions. The meeting reportedly ended without a definitive decision from President Trump, who has expressed his goal of brokering a ceasefire by May. Witkoff then traveled to Russia for further discussions.
Witkoff’s approach has caused concern among some Republican lawmakers and US allies, particularly after his remarks in a March interview with Tucker Carlson, where he suggested that the territories in question should be under Russian control due to local referendums. This stance has raised alarms about Witkoff echoing Russian rhetoric.
Despite the criticism, Witkoff continues to have strong support from President Trump and some members of the administration, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who praised his diplomatic efforts, such as securing the release of US citizen Marc Fogel from Russia.
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