Trump's Envoy Meets Putin as Zelensky Proposes 'Freezing Frontlines'

St. Petersburg-Washington-Agencies: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called yesterday for freezing the front lines in the war his country is waging against Russia, considering it a first step toward ceasefire talks. In an interview with the “Fox & Friends” program, Zelensky, responding to a question about whether he would accept a peace agreement that freezes the front lines in their current state, said, “We must freeze the situation now, and I believe this is the practical way to end this war. We call it a ceasefire.”

His remarks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, held talks in St. Petersburg yesterday on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, following a meeting between the American negotiator and the Ukrainian president.

At the outset of the meeting, Witkoff said he arrived bearing “ideas” about a “peace agreement” for Ukraine, nearly five years after the outbreak of the conflict, which began in 2022 with Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. In opening remarks broadcast on state television, he said, “We brought some documents, which are in fact some ideas regarding the various elements of a type of peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, and you can read them when it suits you.”

On the sidelines of the meeting, Russia announced the release of an American who had been sentenced in 2024 to seven years in prison for “fighting as a mercenary” on behalf of Ukraine—a charge he denies—as well as the imminent departure of the first tanker carrying Russian diesel to the United States.

The visit by the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump falls within efforts to close the chapter on sharp disagreements between the Ukrainian and American presidents over the war with Russia. Following his talks with Witkoff in Oslo, Zelensky thanked Washington for resuming the supply of intelligence information to Ukraine regarding Russian strikes.