Trump Envoy: Putin Open to Permanent Peace with Ukraine After Third Meeting in Saint Petersburg, Focuses on Five Territories

Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, has revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to a 'permanent peace' deal with Ukraine. This statement follows a nearly five-hour meeting in Saint Petersburg, attended by Putin's key advisers Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, marking the third encounter between Witkoff and Putin since Trump's return to the White House in January. Witkoff emphasized that Putin's request is for a 'permanent peace,' beyond just a ceasefire, indicating a potential shift in the ongoing conflict. He suggested that the peace deal revolves around 'five territories'—Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhie, and Kherson—though specifics were not disclosed. The envoy also mentioned that the negotiations included discussions on security protocols, NATO, and NATO's Article 5, highlighting the complexity of the proposed agreement. In addition to the peace talks, Witkoff sees an opportunity to reshape U.S.-Russia relations through 'very compelling commercial opportunities,' which he believes could bring stability to the region. Despite these developments, significant progress towards a ceasefire remains elusive, with Putin having previously rejected a U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional pause in the conflict.