EU awaits envoy Witkoff's report on meeting with Putin in Russia: Ukraine talks key issue
The European Commission expects the US delegation to brief it on the outcome of US special envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, with one of the key issues being the possibility of Ukraine and Russia sitting down at the same negotiating table.
Source: European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho at a press briefing in Brussels on 21 October, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Pinho said that one of the main objectives of the meeting between Ukraine, the US and European partners in Oslo on 20 October was to establish whether it would be possible to move to a new negotiating format involving Russia.
Quote: "And prior to the US engagement with President Putin in St Petersburg, … the main aim was to explore if the parameters are there for a possible move to trilateral or even multilateral talks with Ukraine and Russia present at the same table." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]
Details: Pinho stressed that the European Commission is now awaiting further information from the US side.
"We expect that upon the return of the US delegation from Russia, a briefing will take place," the spokesperson said.
Background:
- Pinho also said that the main topics discussed in Oslo were territorial issues, security and Ukraine's post-war prosperity.
- On 20 October, talks were held in Oslo between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and US President Donald Trump's representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The European Union was represented by Björn Seibert, Head of Cabinet for the President of the European Commission.
- On 21 October, Witkoff arrived in St Petersburg for talks with Putin.
- Zelenskyy later said that the US side had assured Ukraine during the talks in Oslo on 20 October that it would receive "strong" security guarantees.
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