Trump’s Envoy Witkoff Meets Putin for 4th Time, Kremlin Says There Was Progress

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US President Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) before a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 25 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US President Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) before a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 25 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
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Trump’s Envoy Witkoff Meets Putin for 4th Time, Kremlin Says There Was Progress

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US President Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) before a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 25 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US President Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) before a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 25 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)

US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin for three hours in Moscow on Friday to discuss the US plan to end the Ukraine war, and the Kremlin said the two sides' positions had moved closer.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who took part in the meeting, described it as constructive and very useful.

"This conversation allowed Russia and the United States to further bring their positions closer together, not only on Ukraine but also on a number of other international issues," he told reporters.

"As for the Ukrainian crisis itself, the discussion focused in particular on the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine."

Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which started in February 2022.

There was no immediate comment from Witkoff on the outcome of the meeting.

Witkoff has emerged as Washington's key interlocutor with Putin as Trump pushes for a deal to end the war, now well into its fourth year, and has already had three long meetings with the Kremlin leader.

His latest trip follows talks this week at which Ukrainian and European officials pushed back against some of the US proposals for how to settle the conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War Two.



Ground Stops Lift at Ottawa, Montreal Airports over Bomb Threats

The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
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Ground Stops Lift at Ottawa, Montreal Airports over Bomb Threats

The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo

Ground stops were lifted at international airports in Ottawa and Montreal after a bomb threat on Thursday briefly halted departing flights, a US Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.

The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport said on X that it was investigating a security incident and warned that operations may be disrupted, urging travelers to check their flight status, Reuters reported.

Air traffic control manager NAV Canada said in a statement that it was made aware of bomb threats affecting several of its facilities.

It said employees at affected locations were safely evacuated and that travelers may face delays.

The Ottawa Police Service also said on X that it was investigating a security incident at the Ottawa airport.