Putin agrees to resume US-mediated talks on Ukraine after meeting Witkoff in St Petersburg
21 October 2026
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Constantine Palace in St Petersburg on 21 October 2026; Jared Kushner attended virtually.
Putin agreed to resume US-mediated peace negotiations with Ukraine for the first time in months; the last such talks were in February.
A day earlier Witkoff had met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo.
Hours after Russia said it was ready in principle to resume talks, missiles hit Kyiv, injuring six people, according to Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Meeting venue:
Constantine Palace, St Petersburg
Last US-mediated talks:
February
Territory held by Russia:
About 20%
Why it matters for exams: The Russia-Ukraine war, its mediators and the venues of talks are staple world-affairs questions.
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