Witkoff again plans to meet with Putin over Ukraine, Axios reports
Photo: Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Norway to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. He then intends to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Axios.
At the meeting in Oslo, Norway, representatives of Ukraine, Europe, and the US will seek to develop a peace proposal to present to Russia, according to the outlet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, representatives of the "European Four" countries (Britain, France, Germany, and Poland), as well as EU and NATO officials, are expected to take part in the talks.
In addition, a US official told the outlet that after Oslo, Witkoff plans to travel to Russia, where he hopes to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and present ideas developed in consultations with Ukraine and its European partners.
Meanwhile, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has come down with the flu and will therefore be unable to accompany Witkoff and attend the meetings in person. However, he will participate remotely.
The official added that the meeting in Norway is a continuation of discussions held in Miami, where Zelenskyy promised to consider and advance a number of proposals aimed at creating a path toward a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement.
According to the source, representatives of the US, Ukraine, and Europe have been working together over the past week to develop proposals. These discussions are focused on two parallel tracks:
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Securing Ukraine’s future: creating a sovereign, secure, and prosperous future for Ukraine, including reliable security guarantees, European integration, and a comprehensive postwar economic framework that addresses Ukraine’s financial needs and creates opportunities for long-term growth and investment;
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Creating the conditions for lasting peace: developing a comprehensive proposal for Russia that addresses the issues necessary to end the war, establishes a new and sustainable security architecture between Russia and Europe, and explores opportunities for postwar economic cooperation.
According to the US official, US President Donald Trump has instructed officials to launch an intensive process to develop a comprehensive peace proposal with Ukraine and Europe. The next step will be to determine whether this work can serve as the basis for serious negotiations with Russia.
"These discussions remain fluid, and substantial work remains. President Trump's objective is clear: to end the killing, bring the war to a close, and establish the conditions for a lasting peace that benefits Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the United States," he added.
Axios also reports that efforts are expected to be made during Witkoff’s trip to secure the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher whom the US considers to have been unlawfully detained in Russia.
Ukraine-US relations
Ukraine has faced a series of restrictions imposed by the US in recent weeks. In particular, Starlink speeds have been limited, Washington has failed to provide Kyiv with intelligence on preparations for ballistic missile strikes on three occasions, and the US has also struck a diesel deal with Russia.
These developments have led to a conflict between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.
In particular, Trump accused Zelenskyy of allegedly not wanting to end the war and never having wanted to do so.
Meanwhile, in an interview, Zelenskyy said that the recent actions of the US indicate that Washington is pushing Ukraine toward surrendering to Russia.
