Kremlin Seeks Putin Meeting With Witkoff on Ukraine Peace

Russia is seeking another diplomatic channel in efforts to address the war in Ukraine, with the Kremlin hoping President Vladimir Putin will meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff soon. On October 20, 2026, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the proposed meeting could allow the Russian leader to hear about Ukraine's position as international representatives gather in Oslo for peace discussions. According to Reuters, Witkoff was scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and representatives of the E4 group, comprising Britain, France, Germany, and Poland.

European Union and NATO officials were also expected to participate in the Oslo talks. Peskov told reporters that Witkoff could brief Putin on the positions expressed by Ukrainian and European representatives during the discussions. The Kremlin spokesman did not provide further details about arrangements for the potential meeting.

Some US media outlets reported that Witkoff could meet Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21. However, the Kremlin had not confirmed specific arrangements or provided additional information about the reported possibility.

The potential meeting comes as Washington and Kyiv seek to address disagreements over military assistance and security cooperation. Zelenskyy's discussions with US officials were expected to cover several issues related to Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks. Earlier on October 20, Zelenskyy said he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about ballistic missile interceptors and early-warning capabilities for detecting Russian missile attacks. The Ukrainian president also raised the status of satellite services provided through SpaceX.

Zelenskyy described the satellite-related issue as the situation regarding Starlink/Starshield, which needs to be restored. His remarks referred to the satellite systems operated by SpaceX, which have figured in discussions about Ukraine's communications and security needs. The Oslo meeting was also intended to address strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. Reuters reported that ties had deteriorated over the preceding two weeks amid President Donald Trump's increasingly close engagement with Moscow.

The proposed Putin-Witkoff meeting would provide a separate opportunity for discussions about the peace process, while the Oslo talks bring Ukrainian representatives together with US, European, and NATO officials. As of October 20, the Kremlin had expressed hope that the meeting could take place soon but had not announced a confirmed schedule.