The key facts

  • Peskov: Russia is grateful to the US for its sincere desire to continue settlement efforts
  • On October 21 Putin met with Witkoff in St. Petersburg; Kushner joined the talks
  • Peskov: constructive input is expected from Norwegian PM Støre and Finnish President Stubb, while the European Commission is 'incapable' of it

The Kremlin assessed US efforts

Russia is grateful to the United States for its sincere efforts toward a Ukrainian settlement, press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov said in a comment to Channel One. 'This is not the limit; it will continue further. We are certainly grateful to the Americans for their sincere desire to continue these efforts,' he said. Peskov thus commented on the meeting between Vladimir Putin and US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The meeting in St. Petersburg

On October 21, Putin met with Witkoff in St. Petersburg. The main topics of the meeting were the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the development of bilateral relations between Russia and the United States. The talks have concluded. Earlier, Kushner joined the talks between Putin and Witkoff.

Assessment of European participants

Peskov added that Russia will see whether Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb can make a constructive contribution to the settlement in Ukraine. According to him, representatives of the European Commission are 'incapable of any constructive contribution'.