Putin and Witkoff begin talks at Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg

Vladimir Putin began talks with US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff at Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

The Russian participants include presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Russian Direct Investment Fund chief Kirill Dmitriev, who also serves as the president’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries.

Ushakov said the meeting had been agreed several days earlier. Dmitriev met the American negotiator at Pulkovo Airport in the morning.

Before travelling to Russia, Witkoff visited Oslo. Norwegian authorities said he held talks there with European representatives and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.