Trump Envoy Witkoff Meets Putin in Moscow For Ukraine Peace Talks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s envoy, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow amid high-stakes efforts to end the Ukraine war. The talks come as Trump nears his self-imposed 100-day deadline to broker peace. The visit coincided with the assassination of a top Russian general in a car bombing outside Moscow.
Ukraine Peace Talks Quick Looks
- Trump envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin for a fourth round of talks in Moscow.
- The meeting comes as Trump presses for a Ukraine ceasefire deal within 100 days of his second term.
- Kremlin published video of Witkoff and Putin exchanging pleasantries ahead of the formal meeting.
- Talks included Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov and negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.
- The meeting followed Trump’s social media plea to “Vladimir, STOP!” after Russian strikes on Kyiv.
- Russia’s foreign minister confirmed willingness for a deal but said finer points remain unresolved.
- The meeting coincided with the car bombing death of General Yaroslav Moskalik near Moscow.
Trump Envoy Witkoff Meets Putin in Moscow Amid Ukraine Peace Push
Deep Look
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday in what the White House has described as a pivotal moment in ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
This marks Witkoff’s fourth meeting with Putin—and his second this month—as Trump pushes toward his self-imposed goal of achieving a peace deal within his first 100 days of his second term. Video released by the Kremlin shows the two leaders shaking hands and sitting across a white oval table, with Russian aides Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev also present.
The summit follows a wave of deadly violence, including Russia’s drone and missile strikes on Kyiv that killed at least 12 people. Trump publicly rebuked Putin on Truth Social, writing: “Vladimir, STOP!” while asserting that “meetings are taking place right now” and that “we’re getting very close” to a peace agreement.
Witkoff’s arrival came just hours after a bomb killed Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, a senior Russian military officer, in a car explosion in Balashikha, a suburb of Moscow. Authorities said the attack used a homemade device packed with shrapnel. No group has claimed responsibility.
Moskalik’s assassination follows a pattern of high-profile killings of Russian military officials. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was similarly killed by a bomb in December 2024. The attacks raise new questions about internal security and the vulnerability of Russian command figures as the war grinds on.
Russian media reported Witkoff was also seen walking through Moscow with Dmitriev earlier in the day, underlining the visible and high-stakes nature of the diplomatic mission.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS News that while Moscow is “ready to reach a deal,” some specific points still need to be “fine-tuned.” Witkoff’s meetings are expected to continue through the weekend.
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