Witkoff arrives in St. Petersburg for talks with Putin, where he’s expected to present an ‘updated plan’ to end the war

US envoy Steve Witkoff meets with Russian officials in St. Petersburg

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US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in St. Petersburg, Russia, for talks with President Vladimir Putin. According to Russian state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti, Witkoff was met at Pulkovo Airport by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special representative.

Witkoff is expected to present Putin with an updated plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, as reported by Axios. This plan is the result of proposals worked on by European and American colleagues, as announced by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Witkoff's meeting with Putin is also expected to include direct talks with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by Politico. Another American negotiator, Jared Kushner, is expected to join the meeting via video link.

Witkoff's visit to St. Petersburg marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The meeting is seen as a crucial step towards paving the way for a meeting at leaders' level, as announced by Støre.

The meeting between Witkoff and Putin is being closely watched by international observers, who are eager to see if the talks will lead to a breakthrough in the conflict. The outcome of the meeting remains uncertain, but it is clear that the international community is hopeful for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.