US President Donald Trump’s efforts to revive Russia-Ukraine peace talks face renewed scrutiny after Russian strikes hit Kyiv hours after his envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Witkoff praised Putin as a “humanitarian” following the release of American teacher Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned in Russia since 2022. The Kremlin has signaled that trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine could resume in November, although Moscow and Kyiv remain divided over the terms of a potential settlement. Trump’s diplomatic push has also drawn criticism over his decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel and waive additional restrictions on Moscow, raising questions over Washington’s approach to ending the war. Meanwhile, Russian strikes have continued to hit Ukrainian cities, damaging civilian infrastructure as Kyiv calls for stronger Western support and security guarantees.
