Kathrine Frich
The diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine has seemed stalled lately.
A senior figure close to Donald Trump has confirmed plans for a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin.
The announcement has raised questions about renewed backchannel diplomacy between Washington and Moscow.
Meeting confirmed
Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, said he is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
He made the announcement during an interview with CNBC.
“Well, look, we have to meet with him on Thursday,” Witkoff said, referring to Putin. “But it’s the Russians who are requesting this meeting. I think it’s an important statement from them.”
No further details were provided about the format or location of the talks.
Moscow signals
The Kremlin said last week it was preparing to host Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Moscow for discussions focused on Ukraine. At the time, Russian officials said no date had been finalised.
According to the Kremlin, the talks are part of broader contacts linked to possible peace efforts. Russian officials have not publicly commented on the substance of Witkoff’s remarks to CNBC.
The meeting, if it goes ahead as planned, would mark a rare direct engagement between Putin and a senior envoy tied closely to Trump.
Davos contacts
Witkoff and Kushner recently held talks with Putin’s special representative, Kirill Dmitriev, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
That meeting took place behind closed doors at the “USA House” and reportedly lasted more than two hours. Neither side disclosed details of the discussion.
However, it was widely expected that the talks focused on a US peace proposal and potential pathways to ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Diplomatic context
The announcement comes as efforts to halt the conflict remain deadlocked, with no formal negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv underway.
Observers say the involvement of figures closely linked to Trump suggests parallel diplomatic channels operating alongside official US government policy.
Whether the planned meeting will produce tangible results remains unclear, but the confirmation alone has drawn attention to renewed movement on the diplomatic front.
Sources: CNBC, Kremlin statements, Digi24
