- Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
- Witkoff praised Putin as a humanitarian during the meeting, commending the Russian president despite recent military actions.
- Hours prior to the diplomatic talks, a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv Oblast killed two elderly residents and injured 11 people, including two children.
- Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Putin is willing to resume negotiations next month, provided the focus is on security guarantees for Russia.
- The meeting comes shortly after Trump signed a controversial energy deal with Putin, worsening a diplomatic rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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