US to offer Putin face-to-face talks with Zelenskyy and Trump

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to facilitate direct discussions between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. President Donald Trump in an attempt to establish a ceasefire. This unprecedented three-way leaders' negotiation, the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was disclosed during a press conference following talks between Zelenskyy and Witkoff in Norway on Tuesday.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who facilitated the discussions, announced that Witkoff will journey to Russia on Wednesday to present peace proposals, including the concept of a three-way summit involving all three leaders. The Oslo meeting follows a period of heightened tensions between Ukraine and the U.S. president.

Støre commented that the talks at the Norwegian conference were constructive and necessary in light of recent events. He informed reporters that Witkoff would travel to St. Petersburg the following day to engage with Russian leadership, exchange ideas, and build upon the proposals developed by European and American counterparts, potentially paving the way for a leaders' meeting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's previous reluctance to meet with Zelenskyy in person has been a significant obstacle. Recently, the Kremlin has insisted that any meeting could only occur in Moscow. Speaking at the press conference, Zelenskyy expressed a positive outlook on the day, emphasizing that critical issues regarding the future of Ukrainian territory should only be addressed by leaders.

He stressed that any peace settlement would necessitate genuine security guarantees, and a deal would only be feasible if Ukraine plays an active role in its design.