Moscow: A senior figure in President Donald Trump’s administration, Steve Witkoff, arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state media reports. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two would focus on the situation in Ukraine, describing the meeting as a chance to share Russia’s perspective directly with Trump.
Peskov, quoted by TASS, said Witkoff would deliver a message from Trump, with Putin expected to respond in kind. Talks are expected to continue regarding potential resolutions to the Ukraine conflict. Additionally, a possible meeting between Putin and Trump is reportedly under consideration, according to RIA Novosti.
Witkoff, serving as Trump’s foreign envoy, also met with Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev earlier on Friday. On Saturday, he is scheduled to join high-level discussions on Iran in Oman.
The U.S.-Russia engagements come at a time when Ukraine’s allies met in Brussels to reaffirm support for Kyiv. Defense leaders from Germany and the United Kingdom criticized Russia for continuing military strikes despite claiming to seek peace.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group—comprised of around 50 countries—met on Friday, co-chaired by the UK and Germany. Notably absent in person was U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who participated virtually. His absence marks the first time a top U.S. defense official hasn’t attended the summit in person since the group’s founding in 2022 under former Secretary Lloyd Austin.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that the chance of peace in Ukraine in the near future remains slim due to ongoing Russian aggression. British Defense Secretary John Healey added that Russia rejected a Trump-backed peace proposal a month ago and continues to obstruct progress at the negotiating table.
Despite the setbacks, allies announced a significant new wave of military aid to Ukraine totaling over €21 billion ($23.8 billion). Germany pledged an additional €11 billion ($12.5 billion) in defense support through 2029, including air defense systems such as IRIS-T and PATRIOT missiles. The UK and Norway also committed $589 million to aid in drone deliveries, radar maintenance, and mine defense.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need for enhanced air defense capabilities and urged allies to speed up aid deliveries, particularly unused PATRIOT systems held in storage.
The renewed commitments follow reports of increased Russian military operations along the front line, with Ukraine's top general confirming the start of a new offensive in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
Meanwhile, the United Nations revealed a sharp rise in Ukrainian civilian casualties in March, with at least 164 deaths and over 900 injuries—marking a 50% increase from February.
