Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff is an American real estate businessman and long-time personal friend of Donald Trump. After Trump's return to the U.S. presidency in 2025, Witkoff was drawn into diplomatic efforts, serving as a special envoy for Middle East affairs and participating in indirect contacts related to Russia's war against Ukraine.
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Trump tells Ukraine to elect a new president, a day after announcing US-Russia diesel deal
On October 10, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine needs a new president who can make a deal to end the war with Russia, accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of choosing not to end the conflict despite repeated opportunities. The remarks came a day after Trump announced a deal struck during a phone call with Vladimir Putin under which Russia will supply large volumes of diesel fuel to US and world markets, with the US issuing a Treasury license suspending the relevant sanctions until April 7, 2027. Zelensky condemned the diesel deal as weakness and a "gift to Putin for his birthday," and said the Ukrainian negotiating team meeting in Miami had been used as a "screen." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Zelensky has the support of the Ukrainian people and that only Ukrainians can decide who leads them.
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US and Russia discussed American investor for Nord Stream, but White House denies talks and Germany pushes back
Reuters reported that US presidential envoy Jared Kushner and Kremlin-linked adviser Kirill Dmitriev have discussed attracting an American investor to restore the Nord Stream gas pipelines, meeting in Moscow and New York in recent weeks. The White House said any Russia deals must go through US development finance and Treasury bodies and that there have been no recent Nord Stream-specific talks. Germany said the pipelines are under European sanctions and that Berlin has no wish to approve their resumption.
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Ukrainian delegation heads to Washington for two days of talks as Rubio says diplomatic end to war is currently "unattainable"
A Ukrainian delegation is to travel to the United States on 9–10 October for two days of talks with American officials, including US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with European partners also expected to join. The trip comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Greek outlet Kathimerini that a diplomatic end to Russia's war against Ukraine is currently "unattainable," describing the conflict as a "strategic deadlock" driven by Russia's demand for full control over Donbas, which Kyiv rejects. President Volodymyr Zelensky, visiting the site of an October 7 Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, publicly rejected Rubio's framing and called for stronger sanctions and pressure on Russia rather than economic engagement with Moscow.
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Zelensky says Ukraine ready for trilateral talks with US and Russia by end of October
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is prepared to join a US-proposed trilateral technical-level meeting with the United States and Russia before the end of October, with the United Arab Emirates or another American-suggested venue under consideration. He made the statement at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Kyiv on October 4, a day after confirming Ukraine's readiness to the American negotiating group. Kyiv is now waiting for Moscow's response to the proposal.
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US-Russia Ukraine talks expand to include multibillion-dollar Lukoil asset deal
US-Russia negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine have expanded to include a multibillion-dollar deal involving international assets of Russian oil company Lukoil. Vladimir Putin raised the issue during a September 5 meeting with US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin, proposing it as a way to show Russians they can do business with the United States. The deal, covering oil fields, refineries, and gas stations worldwide, requires approval from both the US government and the Kremlin.
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Putin tells Valdai forum Ukraine must stay neutral, hints at nuclear use, rejects mutual strike halt
Vladimir Putin used a plenary address at the 23rd Valdai Discussion Club on October 1 to demand that Ukraine remain a neutral state, suggest nuclear weapons will eventually be used, and reject a mutual halt to strikes on ships and Russian oil refineries. He also restated that full control of Donbas and Ukraine's neutral status are conditions for any peace settlement, framed Trump's peace proposals as a "movement in the right direction" despite "difficult" decisions for Russia, and called for UN reform giving greater weight to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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Putin envoy Dmitriev holds "constructive" talks with US officials in Washington on Ukraine war and energy cooperation
Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin's special envoy and head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund RDIF, met US officials in Washington on September 28 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and possible post-war US-Russia energy initiatives. A US official described the talks as "constructive." The visit followed Donald Trump's meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22 and a separate series of meetings between Dmitriev and US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
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Ukraine says ready for US-mediated trilateral with Russia; Zelensky names UAE as proposed venue
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on September 25 that the United States has proposed a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia at the technical level, with the United Arab Emirates suggested as the venue. Ukraine is waiting for Washington to propose a date. The Kremlin confirmed contacts are underway. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Ukraine is ready for the format but saw no signals of Russian willingness to engage.
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Zelensky declares Ukraine ready for energy, grain and maritime ceasefires as Russia rejects energy proposal
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump and announced Ukraine is ready for reciprocal ceasefires in energy, grain and maritime domains. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 23 September that both sides expressed interest in a limited ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the energy proposal and Russia's Vladimir Putin again insisted on maximalist war aims. The prospect of a trilateral meeting was left to the G20 summit in Miami on 14–15 December, where Putin's participation remains disputed.
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Putin envoy meets Trump administration officials in New York during UN General Assembly
Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, traveled to the United States for meetings with representatives of President Donald Trump's administration, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The talks took place in New York during the UN General Assembly session and are described as a continuation of an earlier Kremlin meeting between Putin and US representatives. The visit comes as 50 countries and the European Union issued a joint statement at the UN calling on Russia to cease fire — a statement the United States did not join.
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Rubio says no Ukraine-Russia energy ceasefire yet, but both sides interested in limited deal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is currently no energy ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia, but that both sides have expressed interest in a limited ceasefire covering energy and grain. Speaking after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Rubio said the war would end through negotiations rather than a decisive military victory, and that US President Donald Trump remains ready to mediate. The comments come a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump in New York with energy ceasefire among the main topics.
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Rubio to meet Lavrov in New York on Wednesday during UN General Assembly
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, September 23, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The meeting comes a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky met President Donald Trump in New York, and against statements from both Moscow and Washington suggesting no ceasefire is currently in place.
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Zelensky and Trump meet in New York: energy ceasefire, Patriot production and a push to end the war before winter
On September 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Zelensky proposed a mutual energy ceasefire, raised licensing of Patriot interceptor missile production in Ukraine, and said he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin with Trump's help. Trump said the war will end "sooner than people realize" and warned he is ready to use the newly-signed "Graham law" sanctions against Russia.
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Trump presses Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries ahead of New York meeting
On September 20, US President Donald Trump repeatedly pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries during a phone call, citing rising global diesel prices. The two leaders agreed to meet in New York on September 22 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Trump is expected to push for an energy ceasefire. On September 21, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Russia had "lost control" of its diesel industry because of the war with Ukraine and called the war "senseless and endless," while Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready for de-escalation steps only if Russia halted attacks on Ukrainian energy and critical infrastructure.
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Kyiv and Moscow both reportedly frustrated with US envoy Witkoff as peace talks stall
Ukrainian and Russian sources describe dissatisfaction with US special envoy Steve Witkoff's role in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, citing incompetence and misunderstanding of Russian positions. The White House has rejected the reporting as "fake news and nonsense."
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Zelensky and Trump agree to meet in New York after phone call; Trump presses on Russian oil strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on the evening of 20 September, during which the two leaders agreed to a personal meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Zelensky publicly framed the call as constructive, thanked Trump for the recent visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv, and for signing the Lindsey Graham sanctions law against Russia. According to Axios sources, Trump repeatedly asked Zelensky to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, citing rising global diesel prices.
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EU to send Ukraine additional €3.3 billion for missiles and drones
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, after a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, that the EU would allocate an additional €3.3 billion to Ukraine for missiles and drones, to be disbursed on Friday, 18 September, under the Ukraine Support Loan program. The announcement was paired with a proposed new joint EU–Ukraine defense initiative, funded through remaining SAFE program funds, aimed at developing a European air and missile defense system based on the joint Freya/Freyja anti-ballistic system.
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Zelensky says he may meet Trump in New York to push for energy and Black Sea ceasefire
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a telethon interview aired on September 14 that he may meet US President Donald Trump in New York on September 21–23 during the UN General Assembly high-level week. The talks would focus on an energy ceasefire and a pause in mutual strikes on the Black Sea ahead of winter, with Zelensky saying Ukraine is open to a maritime-plus-energy ceasefire even if Russia will not agree to a full end to the war.
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Trump announces Russia–Ukraine energy-strike deal; Kyiv says no agreement exists yet
On September 14, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to mutually stop targeting each other's energy facilities. Neither Kyiv nor Moscow confirmed the claim. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to refrain from striking Russian infrastructure only if partners guarantee Russia would stop striking Ukrainian energy and other critical infrastructure, and he stressed no final deal exists.
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Kushner says most of Ukraine–Russia peace deal is ready, with territorial question the last obstacle
US special envoy Jared Kushner told the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv on September 12 that most of a Ukraine–Russia peace agreement has been prepared, and that the territorial question — Ukraine's refusal to withdraw to the line Russia is demanding — is the remaining obstacle. He said he hopes to announce "next steps" in the talks within the next two weeks and expressed support for returning to a trilateral format. Kyiv has previously rejected Putin's demands that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.