US envoy Witkoff to meet Putin; Trump presses Kyiv to settle

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday following productive discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway, according to a U.S. official. The talks, which also included Norwegian and Finnish leaders along with European and NATO representatives, resulted in meaningful progress toward a coordinated strategy for engaging Russia, said the official, speaking anonymously.

The discussions encompassed critical components of a comprehensive peace framework, such as security assurances for Ukraine, a post-war economic strategy, and a broader European security framework. Witkoff's objective is to establish a pathway for direct trilateral and multilateral negotiations, as Zelenskyy sought to mend strained relations with Washington under the Trump administration. Kyiv had previously criticized Washington for its approach, alleging a lack of support.