US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Friday. This meeting lasted over four hours. They focused on finding a possible resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Trump Urges Action on Ceasefire

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump called on Putin to “get moving” on a ceasefire. Trump expressed frustration over the slow progress, stating, “Russia has to get moving. Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.”

Progress in Talks

This was Witkoff’s third meeting with Putin this year. Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev described the talks as “productive.” Despite this, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, denied claims that he had suggested splitting Ukraine.

European Support for Ukraine

Earlier on Friday, European countries agreed to provide €21 billion ($24 billion; £18 billion) in military aid to Ukraine. However, Europe’s defense ministers mentioned that there were no signs the war would end soon.

Kremlin’s Expectations for the Meeting

Before the Witkoff-Putin talks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said no major breakthroughs were expected. He also mentioned that efforts to improve relations were still ongoing. When asked about a potential meeting between Putin and Trump, Peskov replied, “Let’s see. It depends on what Witkoff has brought.”