Russian President Vladimir Putin met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Oct. 21 and said American detainee Stephen Hubbard had been freed, as Kyiv sought Russian consideration of its peace proposals.
Russian news agency TASS reported that the meeting had begun. Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo airport, the Associated Press and Reuters reported. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 20 that he had asked Putin to release Hubbard.
Before the meeting, Ukraine’s presidential office said Witkoff would take Kyiv’s ideas to the Russian side. During talks in Oslo on Oct. 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to avoid strikes on sensitive Russian energy facilities if Russia stopped attacking Ukraine’s energy sector.
Zelenskyy also proposed a possible meeting with Putin and Trump. His office said the Oslo discussions covered intelligence, missile interceptors and satellite communications.
Trump had urged Zelenskyy to reach a deal with Russia on Oct. 20 and warned of consequences if he did not. He argued that U.S. support for Ukraine had carried financial and human costs without a return, but gave no figures.
Ukraine’s presidential office said Witkoff would report back after his contacts with Russia. It gave no date for the proposed leaders’ meeting.
