US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Friday, as former US president Donald Trump publicly called on Moscow to “get moving” on securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, amid growing concern over the ongoing conflict.

The Kremlin confirmed that the meeting, which lasted over four hours, primarily addressed “aspects of a Ukrainian settlement.” This was Witkoff’s third meeting with Putin this year, and was described by Russian sovereign wealth fund chief and special envoy Kirill Dmitriev as “productive.”

Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House in the upcoming US election, expressed frustration over the pace of peace efforts. In a social media post on Friday, he wrote: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere [sic] DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.”

The talks come amid renewed diplomatic back-and-forth, with US and Russian officials reportedly holding closed-door meetings throughout the year, including one in Saudi Arabia in February — their first face-to-face engagement since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, rejected claims suggesting the possible partition of Ukraine following comments published in The Times. The British outlet quoted him as drawing a parallel between post-war Berlin and a possible arrangement in Ukraine, suggesting Western troops could maintain zones of control in the west while Russian forces remained in the east.

Kellogg denied making such a proposal. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said the article had “misrepresented” his remarks, clarifying that he had been referring to “a post-ceasefire resiliency force in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty” and “NOT referring to a partitioning of Ukraine.”

There was no immediate comment from the White House or Ukrainian officials regarding the reports.

Zelensky Blames Kremlin for War Prolongation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a visit to his hometown of Kryvyi Rih — the site of a deadly Russian missile attack earlier this month — accused Moscow of deliberately prolonging the war.

The April 4 strike killed 19 people, including nine children. Zelensky laid flowers at a memorial for the victims, including Herman Tripolets, 9, and two seven-year-olds, Arina Samodina and Radyslav Yatsko.

In a sharply worded statement, Zelensky also alleged that “several hundred Chinese nationals” were now fighting alongside Russian troops. The claim followed Ukraine’s announcement that it had captured two Chinese nationals in combat zones.

“This means Russia is clearly trying to prolong the war even by using Chinese lives,” Zelensky said.

He also renewed calls for increased Western military support, specifically air defence systems. “Only powerful weapons can truly be relied upon to protect life when you have a neighbour like Russia,” he said, noting he had discussed procurement with Trump. “Ukraine is not just asking — we’re ready to purchase these additional systems,” he added.

Trump Laments Missed Opportunity for Peace

Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in Ukraine within “24 hours,” reiterated that the conflict would not have occurred had he remained in office. “A war that should ld [sic] have never happened, and wouldn't have happened, if I were President!!!” he wrote on Friday.

Relations between Trump and Zelensky have remained strained. According to US sources, the two leaders had a heated exchange in the Oval Office in February during Trump’s second term.

An earlier US attempt to mediate a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea faltered after Moscow demanded the lifting of post-invasion sanctions — a move Washington was unwilling to entertain.

Diplomatic Activity Intensifies

The latest meeting between Putin and Witkoff was preceded by discussions between Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev at the Grand Hotel Europe, where a conference on stainless steel and the Russian market was also taking place.

Dmitriev, 49, visited Washington last week, becoming the most senior Russian official to do so since 2022. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov played down expectations for the latest talks, stating there was “no need to expect breakthroughs” as the “process of normalising relations is ongoing.”

When asked whether the discussions could lead to a meeting between Putin and Trump, Peskov said: “Let’s see. It depends on what Witkoff has come with.”

EU Approves Fresh Military Aid for Kyiv

Elsewhere in Europe, defence ministers on Friday approved an additional €21 billion ($24bn) in military aid to Ukraine. Despite the package, EU officials expressed little optimism regarding an imminent resolution to the war, saying there were “no signs of an end” to the conflict.

US-Russia Prisoner Swap Announced

Adding to the flurry of activity, a prisoner exchange was completed earlier this week between Washington and Moscow.

Russian-American Ksenia Karelina, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity, was released and returned to the United States on Thursday. In exchange, Moscow received Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in Cyprus last year on charges of illegally exporting microelectronics to Russian military-linked manufacturers.