U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has landed in Russia for the third time this year as the Trump administration makes a push to advance peace talks over the Ukraine war.

Newsweek has contacted the White House and State Department for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Witkoff’s repeated trips to Russia and his meeting with Kremlin-linked figures signal the Trump administration’s willingness to engage directly—even informally—with Moscow as the war in Ukraine grinds on. While both sides publicly emphasize peace, behind-the-scenes negotiations appear tangled in competing goals: the U.S. seeks a cease-fire, while Russia pushes for sanctions relief and greater economic cooperation.

The presence of Trump’s envoy in Putin’s orbit also raises questions about the administration’s diplomatic strategy, especially as battlefield conditions shift and 2024 campaign politics loom large. With Ukraine still under siege and no clear end to the fighting, the outcome of these shadow talks could shape not just the war’s next phase, but the future of U.S.-Russia relations.

What To Know

Former real estate executive-turned-diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday, marking his third trip to Russia this year as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to broker a cease-fire in Ukraine. Witkoff’s visit coincides with a Russian Navy event hosted by President Vladimir Putin, with whom he met on Friday.

Before the meeting, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported that a “Ukrainian settlement” would be discussed, as well as a potential future meeting between Trump and Putin.

However, Peskov played down the planned Witkoff-Putin meeting, telling Russian state media that the U.S. envoy’s visit would not be “momentous” and that no breakthroughs were expected.

Witkoff, who has emerged as a central figure in the Trump administration’s backchannel diplomacy, also met with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, a key intermediary in talks between Washington and Moscow. The meeting follows growing U.S. frustration over Russia’s slow-walking of peace negotiations, despite Ukraine’s recent signal that it is open to a 30-day cease-fire—if Russia agrees to do the same.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Dmitriev was handed a message in Washington to relay to Putin: “The U.S. needs to know whether you’re serious about peace.” Dmitriev, who once worked in investment banking and now serves as an informal Kremlin envoy, has been promoting joint U.S.-Russia economic ventures, including cooperation on energy, mineral extraction and even space exploration, as a potential part of a broader normalization of ties.

But while Washington and Moscow have touted progress in peace-talk negotiations, there remains little concrete evidence that the Kremlin is ready to deescalate the conflict in Ukraine, with Russia continuing to condition any cease-fire on the easing of Western sanctions, even as it signals interest in rekindling economic ties with the U.S.

Analysts also caution that Moscow appears to be using talks to buy time on the battlefield. Russian forces have recently pushed back a Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk region and maintain offensive operations along parts of the front line.

Witkoff’s latest trip came just one day after a rare U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange, coordinated by intelligence agencies. Moscow released Ksenia Karelina, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen sentenced last year to 12 years in a penal colony. In return, the U.S. freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian national accused of illegally exporting sensitive American microelectronics.

Witkoff has undertaken multiple trips to Russia this year. In February, he traveled to Moscow to facilitate a prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia. During the visit, he met with Putin, although the Kremlin did not officially confirm the meeting. The exchange involved the release of American citizen Marc Fogel in return for Russian national Alexander Vinnik.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere [sic] DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.”

What Happens Next

Following his Russia visit, Witkoff is expected to travel to the Middle East for talks with Iran over its nuclear program, as Trump continues a globe-spanning effort to secure foreign policy wins.