Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has said there is a "foundation" for achieving a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Petersburg, Witkoff said there was now "a foundation in place to move toward a ceasefire" following "constructive" discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway on Tuesday. The Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that all of the proposals brought forward by Witkoff would be studied by Putin, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.
Putin also asked Witkoff to express his "sincere gratitude" to the U.S. President and First Lady Melania Trump for their efforts regarding Ukraine, Tass reported. It comes as Russia has agreed to release the 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, according to state media.
Putin said on Wednesday that Hubbard had been taken to St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport. Hubbard, a former teacher from Michigan, was sentenced to six years and 10 months in Russian prison in 2024 for allegedly fighting for Ukraine against Russia. This is a developing story.
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