Putin, Trump’s envoy Witkoff to discuss Ukraine War; Kremlin says no 'breakthroughs' expected

White House Special Envoy - File Photo

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday, for talks on Ukraine conflict and other issues, the Kremlin said today.

"The conversation on various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement will continue," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media reporters, adding that a "breakthrough" should not be expected and that Putin would use the meeting to outline Moscow's "concerns". This comes amid the rising tensions between the US and Moscow’s close allies Iran and China.

Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the on and off rapprochement between Moscow and Washington amid talk from the Russian side of potential joint investments in the Arctic and in Russian rare earth minerals as the two countries continue to search for the outline of a possible peace deal in Ukraine.

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.

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.

US and Russian officials held talks in Istanbul on Thursday which they both said had made progress towards normalising the work of their diplomatic missions as they begin to rebuild their own bilateral ties.

However, US-Russia dialogue aimed at agreeing a ceasefire ahead of a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine appears to have stalled over disagreements around the conditions for a full ceasefire.

Trump, who has shown signs of losing patience, has spoken of imposing secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil if he feels Moscow is dragging its feet on a Ukrainian deal.

A February meeting between Witkoff and Putin culminated with the US envoy flying home with Marc Fogel, an American teacher Washington had designated as wrongfully detained by Russia.

A Russian-American spa worker Ksenia Karelina, who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia, was exchanged on Thursday for Arthur Petrov, whom the US had accused of forming a global smuggling ring to spirit sensitive electronics to Russia's military.

The US lists several Americans - some dual citizens - who are in jail in Russia, including Stephen Hubbard, a teacher who Washington has officially declared as wrongfully detained.