Description: US Special envoy Steve Witkoff was received in St. Petersburg by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a long – awaited high level meeting aimed at further delving into the war in Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, official spokesperson for the Kremlin has downplayed the meeting and stated that no breakthroughs or concrete proposals were expected this early as Witkoff was apparently laying the groundwork for a potential Trump – Putin meeting in the near future. Partisan support has significantly reduced after Witkoff, as a guest in Tucker Carlson’s podcast, outlined serious statements such as the fact that the four disputed territories in Ukraine should be immediately ceded to Russia as one of Putin’s main demands. The meeting emphasized the cordial diplomacy both countries have recently adopted, and it comes on the precipice of the Istanbul meeting and intensified prisoner exchanges between the two countries.
Impact: The current state of affairs only sees US and Russia delving into more intimate bilateral relations while marginalizing the Ukraine question. Witkoff’s visit attests to the intensified diplomatic efforts by both sides, although signals from the Kremlin stipulate that US – led diplomatic initiatives for the time being are taken with a healthy dose of precaution. Details from the meet between Witkoff and Putin were scarce as most probably short to mid-term goals were discussed regarding moving forward on the concessions issues between Russia and Ukraine. Witkoff’s public alignment with Russia’s demands sparks concerns over his lack of experience in such high stakes negotiations as he is also involved in the talks between the US and Iran. Besides cordially reaffirming their diplomatic intentions, the situation with the war in Ukraine remains at a stalemate as the countries exchange vigorous aerial attacks.