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Witkoff Meets Putin as U.S. Presses Ukraine Cease-Fire

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 11:45 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Witkoff urges ceasefire

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21, 2026.
The meeting followed Witkoff’s talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo the previous day.
Washington hopes the talks will revive U.S.-led diplomatic initiatives to end the Ukraine conflict.
The encounter supports a broader push for Kyiv to accept a cease-fire agreement.

Summary

Witkoff calls Putin humanitarian

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called Russian President Vladimir Putin a humanitarian after Russia released American teacher Stephen Hubbard.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) called Putin a war criminal who assassinated rivals and bombed hospitals.
A Russian drone strike in Kharkiv killed four adults and two children, including teacher Inna Mariukhna and infant Anhelina.
President Donald Trump said Russia “has been fine on Ukraine” and downplayed civilian deaths after the Kharkiv strike.

History

Historical Context

On 5 December 1994 the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum, promising not to use force after Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal. The United States later provided over $300 million to help dismantle the warheads. Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and 2022 invasion broke those assurances, leading talks between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Vladimir Putin to seek guarantees.

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Witkoff urges ceasefire

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21, 2026.
The meeting followed Witkoff’s talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo the previous day.
Washington hopes the talks will revive U.S.-led diplomatic initiatives to end the Ukraine conflict.
The encounter supports a broader push for Kyiv to accept a cease-fire agreement.

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