President of Russia Vladimir Putin : meeting with Special Envoy of the US President Steven Witkoff

President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Special Envoy of the US President Steven Witkoff (St Petersburg, October 21, 2026)

💬 Vladimir Putin: We are very pleased to see you – this time in St Petersburg.

We know that you had a meeting in Norway yesterday, and I would, of course, be interested to hear about its outcomes.

I would like to thank you and President Trump for your attention to resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

I know that President Trump pays particular attention to this issue, primarily on humanitarian grounds. In our conversations, including our most recent telephone conversation, he has stressed the need to end this conflict, above all in view of the casualties among military personnel on both sides.

But, of course, this is not only about military casualties, it is also about the suffering of civilians. In this regard, I would ask you to convey my most sincere gratitude not only to the President but also to his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, for her contribution to addressing humanitarian issues.

🤝 I also believe both Sides would be interested in discussing our plans to restore bilateral relations and Russian-American contacts, including economic cooperation.

If you would be willing to share them, I would also be very interested to hear your assessments of the situation in the Middle East and around Iran. You know that we have a special relationship of trust with Iran, with our Iranian partners and friends, built over decades.

❗️ If we can do anything at all to help resolve this crisis, we will gladly do so. You are also well aware of our proposals in this regard.

These and other topics could certainly be central to our discussions today, including a possible meeting in China. I have some thoughts on this that I would like to share with you as well.

Please convey my most sincere thanks to President Trump for his efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

***

💬 Vladimir Putin: As for diesel, once both Sides announced that supplies would be delivered to the US, global diesel prices immediately fell by 5-6%.

We are preparing shipments right now, with several tankers being readied at once.

The first tanker, carrying 40,000 tonnes, will depart in two or three days, and the others will follow one after another. The key is to ensure that the financial arrangements are in place so that everything works.

☝️ As for farmers – I know President Trump has even mentioned this in our telephone conversations – we could also supply fertilisers to the US market, and in substantial quantities.

📌 Mr.Putin is magnanimous – exactly how a winner behaves.  And it costs him nothing as he is not in the beggar’s chair.

Look at this beauity:  “The key is to ensure that the financial arrangements are in place so that everything works.”   He is of course referring to sanctions.

I would suggest we read this one very carefully.