Putin Proposes China Summit with Trump as Envoy Witkoff Arrives in St. Petersburg
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff meets Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss Ukraine as Putin suggests a potential three-way summit with Donald Trump in China.
POLICY WIRE — Saint Petersburg, Russia — U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday, October 21, to hold high-stakes discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting follows recent diplomatic engagements between Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo, which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized as positive.
During the session, President Putin suggested the possibility of a meeting involving himself, President Donald Trump, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month. The Kremlin has previously floated the idea of a three-way summit during the upcoming APEC gathering to address denuclearization and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Witkoff, who was greeted at Pulkovo Airport by Kremlin economic adviser Kirill Dmitriev, is tasked with presenting updated proposals to end the war. Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, is participating in the St. Petersburg talks via a virtual connection.
The diplomatic push comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Kyiv. President Trump has publicly urged President Zelenskyy to reach a deal with Moscow, while simultaneously criticizing the Ukrainian leader and calling for his resignation. Zelenskyy, however, has maintained that Ukraine must have a seat at the table for any negotiations regarding its future.
Tensions have been further strained by reports of reduced speeds on the Starshield satellite system and delays in the delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles. While the Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk ordered the Starshield slowdown, Secretary of State Rubio stated that the White House had no prior knowledge of the decision.
President Trump also confirmed he has personally requested that Putin release Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen held captive by Russian forces in Ukraine. As winter approaches and Russian strikes intensify, the administration continues to navigate a complex web of diplomatic friction and military logistics.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
