Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump (Image: GETTY)
Vladimir Putin allegedly kept Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff waiting for hours as they met to discuss a potential cease-fire agreement over the ongoing conflict in , it has been claimed.
Reports in the suggest that Mr Witkoff was left waiting since around 12.30pm on Thursday, with the meeting only taking place late that night.
Flight tracking data and Russian reports indicated the delay appeared to be a deliberate tactic, forcing the US envoy to hang around before being granted an audience with the Russian president.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov later confirmed that Witkoff left Moscow without a formal cease-fire agreement, though he indicated that Putin had sent “signals” to US President .
According to Peskov, the cease-fire proposal remained incomplete, with Witkoff presenting “additional information” to the Russian side.
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US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff pictured in Riyadh (Image: AP)
However, reports suggest that Putin countered with additional conditions, including halting US aid and intelligence-sharing, and preventing from reinforcing or resupplying its forces during the cease-fire period.
These demands appeared designed to strengthen ’s position and could have undermined the prospects for a fair and balanced resolution.
While Mr Witkoff was reportedly kept waiting, Mr Trump expressed his disappointment publicly.
In an interview with Fox News, he said it would be “a very disappointing moment for the world” if Putin did not agree to his terms for the cease-fire.
Further fuelling tensions, recent reports claim that Keith Kellogg, a key figure in the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts, was removed from peace talks in Saudi Arabia at Moscow’s request.
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US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg in Washington (Image: Getty Images)
While the exact reasons for this move remain unclear, it is seen as a sign of the growing pressure between US and Russian negotiators.
The Institute for the Study of War has claimed that Putin’s demands, which many experts believe would heavily favour , could derail the Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate a sustainable peace in .
The analysis suggested that such an agreement would embolden Putin’s belief in ’s military superiority and could lead to further escalation rather than peace.
In the meantime, President Trump appears to be keeping a close eye on developments.
He told Fox News that he had directly communicated with Putin, urging him to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers he suggested currently encircled in Kursk although this characterisation was .