Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to resume US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine as soon as next month, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, after Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington’s latest push to stop Europe’s bloodiest conflict since second world war.
The talks in a grand imperial palace in St Petersburg, the ninth time that Witkoff has met Putin in person, began with a goodwill gesture from Russia – the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired US teacher held in Russia.
President Donald Trump confirmed the release in a social media post, saying the United States was not required to give anything in return.
Hubbard was first detained in April 2022 and was later sentenced to six years and 10 months on charges whose veracity his family and US-based lawyer question.