US envoy to meet Putin in Russia as Zelensky says intelligence sharing ‘works now’

US envoy to meet Putin in Russia as Zelensky says intelligence sharing ‘works now’

US special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss proposals on ending Russia’s years-long conflict with Ukraine.

The talks come one day after Witkoff’s meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, which a US official described as “constructive”.

Kyiv previously accused the US of withholding key intelligence – a claim rejected as “scandalous” by Washington. Zelensky said on Tuesday that intelligence sharing with the US on Russian missile attacks “works now”.

Zelensky and his European allies said it was now up to Russia to respond to the proposals agreed in Oslo when Witkoff meets Putin on Wednesday.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who also took part in the talks, said “genuine progress” was made on proposals to achieve peace but gave no details and warned that patience would be needed.

Witkoff was not present at the joint press conference after Tuesday’s talks in the Norwegian capital. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, another key envoy, took part in the meeting via video link.

A US official later described the talks as “very productive and constructive”, saying there was a “strong alignment at the working level” among the US, Ukraine and Europe on “the next steps”.