Putin praises Trump's Ukraine approach in Witkoff meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised US President Donald Trump's attention to resolving the war in Ukraine during a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday, October 21. Putin said Trump's approach differs from previous US administrations. Putin stated that Washington's interest in advancing toward peace deserves special attention and could serve as a basis for further contacts between the countries. He claimed Trump focuses on finding ways out of the crisis rather than continuing escalation, though no specific agreements or timelines for new negotiations were announced. Witkoff presented Putin with a plan for a partial ceasefire covering energy and food infrastructure. The envoy arrived in St. Petersburg after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway the previous day.