USA – Russia: Special Envoy Witkoff Arrives in St. Petersburg for Talks with Putin

A third informal meeting is expected between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday, April 11. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced this at a press conference: “Yes, I confirm. Witkoff has arrived in Russia,” Peskov told reporters.

Sergei Markov (pictured), a Russian political analyst close to the Kremlin, wrote on social media that talks between Witkoff and Putin would center on Ukraine and Iran: “On April 11, Witkoff will be hosted by Putin to discuss peace in Ukraine and the Iranian nuclear program. The US special envoy will then travel from St. Petersburg to Oman, where he will participate with Iranian Foreign Minister Sayyed Abbas Araqchi in the first round of so-called ‘indirect talks’ between the USA and Iran.”

According to Iran’s Nour News Agency, Witkoff and Araqchi will not dialog directly, but through the mediation of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood al-Busaidi.

According to Markov, during Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, the USA may propose that Russia take on the role of the main mediator in talks between Washington and Tehran: “This is about the beginning of a major war that could be unleashed with a powerful joint strike by the armies of Israel and the USA against Iran. Israel and the USA want to bring Iran’s nuclear program under international control and also demand that Tehran stop supporting Hezbollah. Obviously, Iran’s military response will not be long in coming. The Iranian issue is now much more important to the USA than the Ukrainian crisis. The technical role of a mediator in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran is now played by Oman, but Russia can play a much more significant and constructive role in these negotiations.”