The key facts
- Witkoff may propose a trilateral meeting of Putin, Trump and Zelensky during his visit to Russia on October 21 (Politico).
- Witkoff himself has not publicly confirmed the initiative.
- Before the trip, consultations took place in Oslo; Store called the conversation constructive.
The planned initiative
US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to Politico, intends to propose to Vladimir Putin a trilateral meeting involving Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. The initiative may be voiced during the American representative's visit to Russia scheduled for Wednesday, October 21. The main topic of the possible talks between the three leaders, the outlet writes, will be the search for terms of a settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. At the same time, Witkoff himself has not yet publicly confirmed his intention to propose such a format to Moscow.
Consultations in Oslo
Before traveling to Russia, Witkoff held consultations with the Ukrainian and European sides in Oslo. The participants discussed further diplomatic steps. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store called the conversation that took place constructive.
Context of a possible Putin-Zelensky meeting
In recent months, representatives of both sides have repeatedly spoken about the possibility of a personal meeting between Putin and Zelensky. According to Life.ru, on September 23 Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov recalled that Putin is ready to receive the Ukrainian leader in Moscow and ensure his security. Zelensky earlier proposed holding talks at an international venue, including during the G20 summit in the United States. Zelensky has also advocated a mutual renunciation of attacks on sensitive energy facilities.
