What happened during Witkoff and Kushner’s last meeting with Putin | Vladimir Putin News

U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner concluded their latest meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin with the release of a retired American teacher held by Russia.

On Wednesday, Witkoff visited Putin at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, while Kushner attended virtually.

The two special envoys played a leading role in negotiations on the conflict under the US presidency of Donald Trump. Their last meeting with Putin took place during a trip to Moscow in September.

The latest negotiations come as the Trump administration steps up efforts to reach a peace deal ending Russia’s nearly five-year war against Ukraine. The war began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the Eastern European country in February 2022.

But there are growing fears in kyiv that the Trump administration will abandon its support for Ukraine.

Trump has enjoyed warm relations with Putin, and critics fear he may be willing to give in to Russian demands to reach a deal that would end Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.

Here’s what happened at the meeting:

Putin agrees to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine and the United States

The Russian president agreed on Wednesday to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine, under the auspices of the United States, for the first time in months.

A US official told Al Jazeera that Witkoff and Kushner had proposed a “trilateral meeting at the technical level” that would focus on ensuring the security of Ukraine and Russia once the war ends. The Ukrainians agreed to this meeting during their meeting with the Americans on Tuesday in Oslo, Norway.

The last U.S.-mediated peace talks took place in February, just days before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran.

The Kremlin, according to the Reuters news agency, said that new negotiations with Ukraine and the United States could take place in Abu Dhabi and start as early as next month.

Russia releases retired American teacher

Wednesday’s meeting began with a gesture of goodwill from Russia: the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher who has been held in Russia for more than four years.

Hubbard, 74, was arrested in 2022 and sentenced to more than six years in prison in Russia after being accused of being a Ukrainian mercenary. The United States argued that the former teacher was wrongly detained.

Trump, who made a direct appeal to Putin for Hubbard’s release, posted on social media on Wednesday that Russia had not requested a prisoner exchange “out of respect” for him.

A U.S. official said Trump spoke by phone with Hubbard and reiterated his “unwavering commitment” to repatriating all Americans unjustly detained abroad.

Hubbard returns to the United States where he will reunite with his family.

Putin described as “humanitarian”

Witkoff faced increasing criticism after calling Putin a “humanitarian” for his decision to release Hubbard.

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, that he’s a humanitarian,” Witkoff told Putin during Wednesday’s meeting. “You are also a humanitarian, sir, and I salute that. I congratulate you.”

That praise from the Russian president sparked a bipartisan backlash from U.S. lawmakers and human rights activists, who highlighted accusations of serious human rights abuses under Putin’s leadership.

“WTF, Steve?” US Senator Thom Tillis responded with astonishment on social media. Tillis, a member of Trump’s Republican Party, went on to write that Witkoff should research the definition of “humanitarian.”

“What an embarrassing and scandalous thing to say,” he said. “You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin kidnapped and murdered if they think your friend Putin is a “humanitarian.” »

Tillis’ Senate colleague, Republican John Cornyn, echoed those thoughts.

“Putin is a badass killer,” he wrote in response to Witkoff’s remarks.

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, who sits on the U.S. Senate Intelligence and Armed Services committees, also lambasted Witkoff, calling Putin a “war criminal.”

“In what world is Putin a “humanitarian”? He assassinated political rivals and journalists, bombed hospitals and started a war that intentionally killed tens of thousands of innocent people, including women and children,” said Kelly, an Arizona Democrat.

But members of the Trump administration defended Witkoff amid the outrage. During a visit to his home state of Ohio, Vice President JD Vance said Witkoff had “a job to do.” He said complimenting Putin probably helped the negotiations.

“I agree with Steve Witkoff saying something nice to a person who just freed an American hostage,” Vance told reporters.

At a White House event Wednesday, Trump said Witkoff’s characterization of Putin was a “good word” for “this particular goal”: freeing Hubbard.

“But I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other,” the US president said.

Trump, Putin and Xi meeting gathers momentum

The Kremlin said a possible meeting between Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping was discussed during Wednesday’s negotiations.

Russian officials said that, if the meeting was confirmed, it could take place next month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China.

“Given that the three heads of state could potentially participate in the summit in China, the subject of such a hypothetical meeting was indeed raised,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

“No specific proposals or agreements have been discussed or put forward by anyone, either regarding the meeting itself or the possible agenda and content of this meeting.”

The three leaders have never met before for a dedicated trilateral visit.