'Russia has to get moving,' says Trump as Witkoff holds 'productive' talks with Putin on Ukraine

US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Friday, as Donald Trump called on Moscow to “get moving” on a ceasefire in Ukraine.

“Russia has to get moving. Too many people (are) DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war — A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The Kremlin later said the meeting focused on ways to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Four hours long ‘Productive’ talks

The Kremlin said the meeting lasted over four hours and focused on a possible resolution to the war.

This was Witkoff’s third meeting with Putin this year. Witkoff, a key figure in efforts to improve US-Russia relations in Trump administration, was seen afterwards with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy. Dmitriev later called the meeting “productive,” according to the TASS news agency.

Trump, frustrated with the lack of progress, wrote on social media, “Russia has to get moving. Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg denied claims that he had suggested Ukraine could be split up.

Europe’s $24 billion aid to Ukraine

Earlier on Friday, European countries agreed to give €21 billion ($24 billion; £18 billion) in military aid to Ukraine.

At the event, Europe’s defence ministers said there was no sign the war would end soon.

Before the Putin-Witkoff meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no major breakthroughs were expected, as efforts to improve relations were still ongoing. When asked if the talks could include planning a meeting between Putin and Trump, Peskov said, “Let’s see. It depends on what Witkoff has brought.”

Russia open to full ceasefire

Russia said that it is open to a full ceasefire but has set several conditions — Ukraine must stay out of NATO, cut down its military, and recognise Russian control over the four occupied Ukrainian regions.

Trump envoy suggests allied zones of control in Ukraine

Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, said British and French troops could take on zones of control in Ukraine, according to an interview with The Times published Saturday.

He suggested these troops could be stationed west of the Dnipro River as part of a “reassurance force,” with a demilitarised zone separating them from Russian-occupied areas in the east.

Kellogg compared the idea to post-World War II Berlin, which was divided into zones controlled by different countries. He later clarified on X that the US would not send troops.

He said being west of the Dnipro—a major natural barrier—would ensure the force wouldn’t appear threatening to Russia. The Times also reported that Kellogg proposed the demilitarised zone follow current lines of control in eastern Ukraine.