US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider restarting trilateral peace talks involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, in a bid to end the ongoing conflict. The appeal came during a meeting in St Petersburg, where Witkoff presented fresh proposals aimed at negotiating a settlement to the war.

This meeting marked Witkoff’s ninth face-to-face encounter with Putin, underscoring the continued diplomatic efforts by Washington to mediate peace. During the discussions, Putin expressed a willingness to collaborate with US President Donald Trump on various international issues, including Iran’s nuclear program. Additionally, he suggested the possibility of a future meeting with Trump in China, potentially involving Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Witkoff’s diplomatic efforts in Russia followed a series of meetings in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with Finnish and Norwegian leaders and representatives from Europe and NATO. The talks in Oslo were focused on crafting a coordinated approach to negotiations with Russia and exploring elements of a potential comprehensive peace agreement.

Key issues reportedly discussed included security guarantees for Ukraine, plans for post-war economic recovery, and the future of European security arrangements. Zelenskyy has expressed optimism for a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin to address the primary obstacles to ending the war. However, the Kremlin has indicated that a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would necessitate extensive preparation to ensure substantial progress.

The latest diplomatic outreach highlights renewed attempts by the US to bring all parties back to the negotiation table. Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain in reaching an agreement acceptable to all involved sides. The situation continues to demand careful and strategic diplomatic engagements to pave the way for a peaceful resolution.