US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday (October 21) urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider resuming US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine and to review new ideas on ending the war amid Washington's latest push to stop Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War Two.

The talks in a grand imperial palace in St Petersburg, the ninth time that Witkoff has met Putin in person, began with a goodwill gesture from Russia - the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired US school teacher held in Russia.

Putin also offered to help US President Donald Trump in dealing with Iran, saying Russia had a decades-long relationship with Tehran which it has repeatedly offered to leverage to address US concerns about Iran's nuclear program. Russia could also supply large quantities of fertilizer to the United States to help US farmers, the Russian president told Witkoff, saying he wanted to discuss a potential meeting in China next month with Trump which the Kremlin has suggested could also include Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The encounter comes amid concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that the United States is backing away from Ukraine, at times holding back real-time intelligence on Russian attacks and hobbling Ukraine's military communications.

The latest talks also come more than two years since Trump promised in his successful election campaign to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.

"One thing that I hope to accomplish today is to have some good conversation between us about the resumption potentially of trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia and the United States," Witkoff told Putin.

"Even if we don't have a resolution today, if we just talk about and sort of consider what that next step might be I think that would be important and the world is waiting to hear that."

The last US-mediated peace ⁠talks took place in February before the United States and ⁠Israel launched a war against Iran.

Ukraine and Russia remain far apart when it comes to the terms of any possible peace deal, but Trump has recently intensified pressure on Ukraine to strike some kind of a deal. He said on Tuesday it was time for Ukraine to end the war or face "a very bad thing."

'NEW IDEAS'

Putin, who has shown few signs of compromising on his central war aims, which include full Russian control of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine and no NATO membership for Kyiv, received Witkoff in the Constantine Palace, a grand imperial edifice in what is the Kremlin chief's home city.

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special investment envoy, was also present at the meeting with Witkoff as both sides talked up the potential of post-war Russia-US economic cooperation.

Witkoff flew into Russia's second city a day after conducting talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the leaders of Finland and Norway and European and NATO representatives. Witkoff said he would brief Putin on the Oslo talks which he described as productive and said had been characterized by "some degree of momentum."

He said he had brought some documents with him containing various ideas for a potential peace deal for Putin to review, and that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, also wanted to convey some ideas to Putin and would shortly join the meeting remotely by phone.

A US official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Ukraine had brought new ideas and proposals to the Oslo talks, which had made "meaningful progress" toward a coordinated approach to engaging with Russia.

The official said the talks covered "key elements of a comprehensive peace framework," including security guarantees for Ukraine, a post-war economic plan and a broader European security architecture.

Zelenskiy said he hoped to discuss key issues on how to end the war during a trilateral meeting with Putin and Trump.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said that any Putin-Zelenskiy meeting would need to be painstakingly prepared in advance by aides to make it worthwhile.

FRAYING US-UKRAINE TIES

US-Ukraine ties have deteriorated sharply since Trump announced a diesel export deal with Russia earlier this month to help lower prices in the United States. High fuel costs since he launched strikes on Iran have hurt his Republicans ahead of November legislative elections.

Since the diesel deal, Ukraine has complained of disruption to some intelligence sharing and to its use of the Starshield military satellite system, though Zelenskiy said that Tuesday's Oslo meeting had reached an agreement to resolve those issues.

Citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that billionaire Elon Musk had last week ordered the slowdown of a military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite service that Ukraine relies on to track Russian ballistic missile strikes.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Musk has said any such decision is taken by the US military or the president. Trump has said he was not responsible and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated on Wednesday that Washington had not pulled back Kyiv's ability to access Starlink.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Putin hosts Trump envoy for new Ukraine peace talks, frees US citizen held in Russia

VIDEO SHOWS: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN MEETING DONALD TRUMP'S SPECIAL ENVOY STEVEN WITKOFF FOR TALKS / WITKOFF AND PUTIN COMMENTING ON UKRAINE PEACE TALKS, DIESEL SUPPLIES, BILATERAL RELATIONS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 21, 2026) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND U.S. ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF GREETING EACH OTHER, SHAKING HANDS

2. WITKOFF AT TABLE, ADJUSTING TIE

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"We know that you held a meeting in Norway yesterday (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) and, of course, I would be interested to hear about the outcomes of those talks (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION). I would like to thank you and President Trump for your attention to the issues regarding the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. I know that President Trump pays special attention to this matter, primarily for humanitarian reasons (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) and in our conversations, including our most recent telephone call, he emphasised the need to end this conflict bearing in mind, above all, the casualties among personnel on both sides.

4. MEETING IN PROGRESS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"But this is, of course, not only about casualties among military personnel but also about the suffering of the civilian population. In this regard, I would like to ask you to convey my most sincere words of gratitude not only to the President but also to his wife, First Lady (Melania Trump), for her contribution to resolving humanitarian issues"

6. MEETING IN PROGRESS

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"And, of course, I believe both sides would be interested in discussing issues related to our plans to restore bilateral relations and Russian-American contacts, including in the area of economic cooperation."

8. MEETING IN PROGRESS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"If you consider it possible, I would, of course, be extremely interested to hear your assessment of the situation in the Middle East and around Iran. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) As you know, we have special, trusting relations with Iran, with our partners and friends there, built up over decades. If there is anything at all we can do to help resolve this crisis, we would be glad to do so. You are also well aware of our proposals in this regard (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION). These and other topics could certainly be at the centre of our agenda today (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) including the possibility of a meeting in the People's Republic of China. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) There are also some thoughts on this matter that I would like to share with you (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION). Please convey my most sincere words of gratitude to President Trump for his efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

"Thank you, President Putin. So good to see you. Sorry, I'm not good with technology. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) First of all, I wanted to thank you very much. The President sends his thanks. Our whole nation sends their thanks, because of Stephen Hubbard. Because of you, he's going home to his family. And I actually met with his son just the other day. He's a priest, he's met you, in the Greek Orthodox Church. And we had a talk, and I thank you for the release of his father. So the first thing I want to tell you is thank you. (PUTIN ANSWERING: HE IS IN PULKOVO AIRPORT NOW) Yes, we're going to meet him. He's a 75-year-old man, and you talk so much about my President, President Trump being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again.

11. MEETING IN PROGRESS

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

So, we have a lot of things to talk about today in our agenda. We have to talk about some of the meetings that happened yesterday in Oslo. I think they were productive, and I think there's some degree of momentum. And I hope that this can – today can be another step forward in the peace process and discussing how we resolve the Ukrainian conflict. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION). I know the First Lady is grateful for being able to work on behalf of some of her humanitarian projects in the Russian Federation. And I will extend to her your best wishes and blessings.

13. MEETING IN PROGRESS, TRANSLATOR SPEAKING

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

One thing that I hope to accomplish today is to have some good conversation between us about resumption potentially of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. I'm hoping that you might consider that as a next step in the peace process so we can begin to have technical teams discussing what are those next steps. I think that's important, and I hope that even if we don't have resolution today if we just talk about it and sort of consider what that next step might be. I think that will be important, and I think (SHOT OVER PUTIN) the world is waiting to hear that. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION)

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

This in an economic cooperation between our governments is an example of what the possibilities are in the future. I think it's been really, really good dealing with Kirill, and you've been outstanding, Kirill. You really have. I think, you know, our Treasury Department is working with you now independently, and I think that's leading to a sense of what the possibilities are between our two nations. We even talk about it now openly with the Ukrainians to give them some sort of sense about what the possibilities will be when this whole conflict is ended.

16. MEETING IN PROGRESS

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

Your decision to remove export controls on diesel oil from Russia and to sell not just to the United States but also to the world at large in the midst of this economic shock, I think that was a really important act on your part, sir. And I know the President is deeply grateful for it, as are our farmers and other truckers who use diesel and have been adversely affected by this diesel crisis, and people all over the world. So it's an example of us all working together, and I want to say thank you to you for that.

18. MEETING IN PROGRESS

19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ENVOY, STEVEN WITKOFF, SAYING:

We've brought some papers for you to look at. It's really some ideas about the different elements of some sort of peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. And you'll read that at your leisure later on. But Jared, who I think we'll put on the phone shortly, also wants to say some things to you.

20. MEETING IN PROGRESS

21. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

As for diesel, following announcements from both sides that supplies would be made to the United States, prices for complex diesel on global markets fell by 5 - 6%. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) We are preparing shipments, with several tankers ready to depart right now (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) The first tanker, carrying 40 000 tonnes, will leave in two to three days, and the others will follow one after another. The only thing we need to ensure is that the financial arrangements are in place so that everything can proceed smoothly. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) As for farmers, I know that President Trump even mentioned this in our telephone conversations. We could also supply fertilisers to the US market, in substantial quantities. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) We will discuss all of this.