US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday, as Moscow announced the release of an American citizen, Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned in Russia.1,4,5,7
Witkoff arrived in the northwestern Russian city after a day of talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “positive.” Rubio said the envoy would take the discussions to Moscow. “He’ll now, armed with those ideas, be able to go to St Petersburg and share them with the Russian side – and let’s see if we can make some progress,” Rubio said. Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, joined the Oslo talks virtually because of illness and was expected to take part in the Putin meeting remotely.1,4,7
Witkoff presented Putin with an updated proposal to end the war. In remarks reported from the meeting, he told Putin, “I believe the talks [in Oslo] were productive, and I would like to say that there is progress, and I will update you on this.” He also asked Putin to “consider resuming trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, where we could discuss the next steps toward achieving a settlement.”7
The outcome of that request is not yet clear. The New York Post’s headline said Putin had agreed to trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US to end the war, but Axios reported only that Witkoff had asked Putin to consider resuming them. Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the next step should be a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin and Trump, a format that Axios said Russia has so far rejected.2,7
Putin announced Hubbard’s release at the top of the meeting. “He is at Pulkovo Airport,” Putin told Witkoff in front of the cameras. Hubbard is 74, according to Axios and France 24, although The New Republic quoted Witkoff referring to him as “a 75-year-old man.” Axios said he had been seized by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine in April 2022. Hubbard was sentenced after a closed trial in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military and fought alongside it until he was captured, and his family has questioned the charges.3,4,7
Trump said on Tuesday that he had asked Putin to release Hubbard. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family. The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return - an unprecedented situation for Russia. There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release.”4,7
Witkoff also praised Putin during the meeting. “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian,” Witkoff said to Putin. “You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that. I commend you.” Republican Senator John Cornyn criticised the remarks on X, writing, “No. Putin is stone cold killer.”3
The meetings are part of efforts to draw a line under a bitter feud between Zelenskyy and Trump over the war. Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Zelenskyy in recent weeks and has suggested that someone else should negotiate on Kyiv’s behalf. The rift deepened after Trump struck a diesel-supply deal with Putin and called for Zelenskyy to be replaced after Ukraine refused to stop hitting Russian oil refineries. Trump also waived sanctions against Russia’s war machine, which Ukraine reacted to with dismay.1,4,7
Zelenskyy accused Washington of withholding vital intelligence and delaying interceptor missiles. He told US senators on Monday that “the Pentagon is delaying the delivery of missiles” already paid for by European countries. After Tuesday’s talks, he said intelligence from the US had been restored. “We are thankful that intelligence works,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Oslo, calling the early warnings “very, very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians.”1,4
Zelenskyy has also accused Washington of slowing Starshield, the military-grade equivalent of Starlink developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which Ukraine uses for battlefield operations. Rubio dismissed the accusation, saying, “The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr. Musk.” Musk has said such decisions can only be made by the US military and the president. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, that Musk ordered the slowdown. Trump has denied ordering a reduction in speeds.1,4
The diplomacy comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to trade long-range attacks. Governor Yegor Kovalchuk said on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s western Bryansk region killed at least one person and wounded two on Wednesday. Ukraine’s Emergency Service said two people were killed in a Russian attack on a high-rise building in the Sviatoshinsky district of Kyiv.1
Putin also told Witkoff that he wants to discuss possible Russian mediation between the United States and Iran. “You know that we have a special, trusting relationship with Iran, with our partners in Iran, our friends, built over decades, and if there’s anything we can do to resolve this crisis, we’ll be happy to do so,” Putin said. He added that he wants to discuss a possible meeting with Trump in China in mid-November.7
