Susanna Riva Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held three hours of talks in the heart of St. Petersburg . The meeting, which took place at a major conference center, was described by the Kremlin as a sign of gratitude for American efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
During the discussion, Putin raised the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Chinese President Xi Jinping . The idea would be to fit such a meeting into the context of the next APEC summit scheduled for November in Shenzhen, China. Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed Moscow's willingness to resume talks focused on creating a post-conflict security system for Russia and Ukraine.
The St. Petersburg declarations and the American reactions
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow is “grateful to the United States for its sincere efforts in the Ukrainian solution” and said that Russia will consider whether Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb can make a “constructive contribution.”
Witkoff, for his part, thanked Putin, calling him “compassionate” for the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen detained for four years.
Witkoff's words sparked a political storm in the United States, with Conservative Senator John Corbyn calling him "a ruthless killer," while Republican Representative Don Bacon called him "another embarrassment." Senator Thom Tillis urged Witkoff to consult the dictionary to understand the true meaning of "compassionate" and to ask the families of victims of the Ukrainian conflict if they found him to be so.
The plan for a three-way summit in Shenzhen
According to informed sources, the proposal for a meeting between Putin, Donald Trump , and Xi Jinping emerged during a phone call on October 9 between the two heads of state. The call also served to finalize an agreement on the United States' trade in Russian diesel fuel. Peskov confirmed that discussions are ongoing, but clarified that there is not yet a definitive schedule for the meeting, nor have the agenda items been finalized.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a mission to Uzbekistan, stated that Trump, while he has not yet given formal approval, appears open to the idea because he is fulfilling his campaign promise to end the war "on day one" of his new term. Expert analysis suggests that a summit in Shenzhen would give Beijing a leading diplomatic role, strengthening the perception of China as a "pivot among the great powers."
Zelensky, the possible freezing of the front and the European prospects
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated his support for freezing the front line, calling it "a realistic way to stop the fighting." In an interview with Fox News, he explained that Kiev will subsequently request security guarantees from Washington and its European partners, emphasizing that peace and security are the top priorities.
Zelensky rejected the idea of ceding the Donbas region, indicating that Moscow is trying to pressure Kiev into a territorial withdrawal. His stance comes immediately after a tense summit in Oslo, where the leaders of Norway, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the European Union, and NATO discussed new proposals to end the conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the discussions in Oslo "positive."
The situation remains fluid, with the parties involved oscillating between traditional diplomacy and internal political pressure.