Steve Witkoff is expected to meet the Russian president on Friday, Axios reports
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, may happen on Friday, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed US official.
Earlier, Moscow confirmed that Witkoff would travel to Russia later this week.
Witkoff has visited Russia three times in recent months for multiple rounds of talks with senior Russian officials, including Putin, as part of peace efforts undertaken by Washington and Moscow to end the Ukraine conflict.
As part of a potential peace deal, Washington reportedly proposes to recognize Russia’s jurisdiction over Crimea and acknowledge Moscow’s control over four other former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia. The plan is also said to include the lifting of some sanctions against Russia and opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Vladimir Zelensky rejected any discussion of recognizing Crimea as Russian. Trump warned on Wednesday that Zelensky risked losing the entire country if he continued to undermine the talks.
READ MORE: Trump accuses Zelensky of harming peace talks
Witkoff, together with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, skipped a high-level Ukraine meeting in London scheduled for this Wednesday. The UK Foreign Office later confirmed to AFP that the foreign ministers meeting of countries backing Kiev had been indefinitely postponed, adding that “official level talks” will continue but behind closed doors.
