Photo: LRT
On 25 April 2025, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow for another round of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. This is the fourth meeting between Vitkoff and Putin, which underscores his key role in Washington’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, Reuters reports.
The meeting took place the day after Trump sharply criticised Russia’s missile and drone attack on Kyiv, which killed at least 12 people. On the social network Truth Social, he addressed Putin with the words: “Vladimir, STOP!” Nevertheless, Trump noted that the talks were progressing and expressed hope that an agreement would be reached in the coming days.
During the meeting in the Kremlin, Putin was accompanied by his international affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov and special representative for investments Kirill Dmitriev. Earlier, the Russian newspaper Izvestia published photos of Vitkoff walking in the centre of Moscow with Dmitriev, which indicates active informal contacts between the parties.
This round of talks comes amid growing pressure from Trump on both sides of the conflict. The US president expressed dissatisfaction with both Russia’s actions and Ukraine’s position on Crimea, saying that returning the peninsula would be a “very difficult” task.
The coming days are expected to be crucial for the fate of the peace process. Trump stressed the importance of the ongoing negotiations, saying: “These next few days are going to be very important. The meetings are happening right now. I think we’re going to get a deal done… We’re very close to it.”
The outcome of Witkoff’s talks with Putin could have a significant impact on the further course of the war in Ukraine and determine the role of the United States in this process.
