Overview

• Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy, held a four-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
• Negotiations remain stalled as Russia demands sanctions relief and recognition of its claims over Ukrainian territories, conditions Kyiv has rejected.
• President Trump expressed frustration over the lack of progress, warning of potential secondary sanctions on Russian oil if no ceasefire is reached by the end of April.
• A recent prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, including the release of dual citizen Ksenia Karelina, has been one of the few tangible outcomes of ongoing talks.
• Discussions also explored the possibility of a future face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin, though no formal plans have been announced.