 "Putin to meet Trump envoy Witkoff today for talks on Ukraine, US-Russia ties: Kremlin")
Kremlin has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff today for talks, including on the Ukraine conflict.
“The conversation on various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement will continue,” AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying to state media reporters.
Peskov played down the planned Witkoff-Putin meeting, telling Russian state media the US envoy’s visit would not be “momentous” and that no breakthroughs were expected.
He also said that Putin would use the meeting to outline Moscow’s “concerns”.
Earlier in the day, Peskov had confirmed that Witkoff has arrived in Russia.
“Yes, I confirm. He has indeed arrived in Russia,” CNN quoted him as saying to reporters.
Peskov had then declined to comment on reports of a possible meeting between Putin and Witkoff.
According to a Reuters report, Kremlin said that the two men might also discuss a Trump-Putin meeting.
The Izvestia news outlet released video of Witkoff leaving a hotel in Russia’s second city St Petersburg, accompanied by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy.
Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the on-off rapprochement between Moscow and Washington amid talk on the Russian side of potential joint investments in the Arctic and in Russian rare earth minerals.
Putin was also in St Petersburg on Friday to hold what the Kremlin called an “extraordinarily important” meeting about the development of the Russian Navy, which is in the throes of a major modernisation and expansion drive.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe meeting will be their third this year and comes at a time when US tensions with Iran and China - two countries with which Russia has close ties - are severely strained over Tehran’s nuclear programme and a burgeoning trade war with Beijing.
Witkoff is due in Oman on Saturday for talks with Iran over its nuclear programme after Trump threatened Tehran with military action if it does not agree to a deal. Moscow has repeatedly offered its help in trying to clinch a diplomatic settlement.
Putin and Trump have spoken by phone but have yet to meet face-to-face since the U.S. leader returned to the White House in January for a second four-year term.
With inputs from agencies
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