Witkoff meets Putin in St Petersburg as Russia frees US prisoner Stephen Hubbard
The Witkoff Putin meeting moved from announcement to reality on Wednesday, as United States special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Saint Petersburg to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The session at the Constantine Palace began early on Wednesday, the ninth in-person meeting between the two men. It follows Tuesday’s talks in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “positive”.
Ninth Witkoff Putin meeting held at Constantine Palace
Witkoff landed at Pulkovo Airport early on Wednesday, where Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev received him before the talks began at the Constantine Palace. A United States official told AFP that Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, took part virtually.
This report confirms the talks have now begun, with the prisoner release as the opening gesture, cross-checked against CNN, The Straits Times and AP.
Russia frees Stephen Hubbard in goodwill gesture
In a goodwill gesture at the start, Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American schoolteacher detained in Russia for more than four years. Trump had personally asked Putin to free him.
“I’ve been talking to him at length. I’ve asked him to release him. Let’s see what happens,” Trump said.
Trilateral talks and economic cooperation on the agenda
Witkoff urged Putin to consider resuming trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine talks on technical issues. Putin expressed interest in restoring economic cooperation with the US and raised a possible meeting with China on Ukraine.
Other topics included Russia’s willingness to help resolve the Iran war and potential Russian fertilizer exports to the United States.
The economic theme fits a wider pattern in current diplomacy, seen in Pakistan’s recent signing of 20 agreements with the Maldives.
What the talks could mean for the months ahead
The key question now is whether Wednesday’s meeting builds momentum toward a full trilateral round. For now, the goodwill gesture and the economic signals from Moscow point to a careful opening, not a breakthrough.
The wider region remains volatile, with a Saudi-led coalition intercepting drones near Madinah earlier this month. For Pakistan, analysts continue to stress that strategic stability between nuclear-armed neighbours depends on sustained dialogue, a principle that applies to the St Petersburg talks too.
Background: friction after Oslo and the intelligence row
The St Petersburg visit followed days of visible friction. Trump struck a diesel-supply deal with Putin, called for Zelensky to be replaced after Ukraine kept hitting Russian oil refineries, waived sanctions on Russia’s war machine, and has pressed Zelensky to “make a deal”.
Zelensky alleged that the United States had withheld intelligence and delayed interceptor missiles. The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of the Starshield satellite service for Ukraine, a claim Trump and Rubio denied.
“The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr Musk,” Rubio said in Mumbai.
In Oslo, Zelensky met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb to discuss security guarantees, and called for a possible trilateral summit. Ukraine and its European partners are preparing proposals for Moscow. Pakistan’s diplomatic calendar has also been active this month, from trade and investment agreements with the Maldives to regional security debates.
Zelensky also thanked Washington for resuming US intelligence sharing on Russian strikes.
“We are thankful that intelligence works… very, very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians,” he said.
Trump has said he is ready to meet Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearisation. Kyiv fears being sidelined in any such meeting.
“If there are issues about Ukraine, our future, it can be acceptable only when we are at the table of negotiations,” Zelensky said.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Russia release Stephen Hubbard?
Moscow called the release a goodwill gesture at the start of the talks. Trump had personally asked Putin to free the 74-year-old retired teacher, detained in Russia for over four years.
What makes this meeting different from the earlier ones?
This is the ninth in-person meeting between Witkoff and Putin, and it carries an explicit American push to resume trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine talks on technical issues, with Russia signalling interest in restoring economic cooperation with the US.
Could a trilateral summit happen next?
Zelensky has called for a possible trilateral summit, and Ukraine and its European partners are preparing proposals for Moscow. Trump has also floated a meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping in China next month. Kyiv insists it must be at the table for any discussion about Ukraine’s future.
