According to Vladimir Putin’s closest assistant, Russia is “ready in principle” to resume negotiations on a settlement with the US and Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov was speaking following Putin’s meeting with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, subsequently stated that he wanted this to happen as soon as possible after Ushakov suggested a fresh round would take place next month. Moscow has long been under pressure from Kyiv and its European partners to resume the negotiations that were put on hold in February.
Since Ukraine is severely lacking interceptors to fend off lethal Russian missile strikes, Russia has refused for months since it feels it is winning on the battlefield. After meeting Zelensky and the leaders of Finland and Norway on Monday in Oslo, the Norwegian capital, Witkoff travelled to St. Petersburg. Zelensky stated during discussions in Oslo that “strong” security guarantees for Ukraine and plans for an energy ceasefire had been considered, while it is unclear what precise proposals Witkoff presented to Putin.
Their concepts, according to Ushakov, were not very “useful”. In an effort to put an end to the conflict that started in February 2022 when Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, top officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the US have convened multiple rounds of negotiations.
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