U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has said that discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg focused on the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine, with an emphasis on “five territories” as central to any potential peace agreement. Speaking to Bloomberg, Witkoff described the meeting as “compelling” and noted that the talks also touched on future commercial cooperation between the two countries.

According to Witkoff, Putin expressed interest in achieving a “permanent peace,” although this was not immediately part of the conversation. “It took a while for us to get to,” he said, referring to the discussion around ending the conflict. Witkoff highlighted that the path to peace appears to center on a deal involving five territories, although he did not specify which ones. “This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there’s so much more to it,” he said, suggesting broader geopolitical and economic considerations.

Witkoff emphasized that a breakthrough might be imminent, describing the situation as “something that would be very, very important for the world at large.” He also underlined the potential for reshaping U.S.-Russia relations through strategic commercial engagements that could contribute to regional stability.

This is not the first time Witkoff has mentioned Ukrainian territories in connection with resolving the war. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, he previously referred to “four regions”—namely Donbas, Crimea, Luhansk, and “two others”—as the main issue in the conflict. His remarks have sparked criticism both from within the White House and among members of the Republican Party.

Meanwhile, other senior advisers to President Trump, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, have cautioned against embracing Moscow’s peace overtures too readily. According to The Wall Street Journal, they are urging Trump to adopt a more skeptical and tougher stance, arguing that Putin has yet to show serious intent to end the war. These advisers advocate for maintaining pressure on the Kremlin, including through stronger sanctions, and warn that territorial concessions from Kyiv should not be a precondition for negotiations.

The debate within Trump’s team has reportedly intensified following a deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on April 13, which killed 35 people and injured 100 others. While the president remains committed to ending the war, the divisions among his advisers have grown over how to approach negotiations with Moscow and what role Witkoff should play in shaping the administration’s policy on Ukraine.

Despite the internal disagreements, Trump appears to be leaning toward Witkoff’s assessment, which portrays Putin as willing to pursue a resolution. The envoy’s meetings with the Russian leader have lasted several hours, with the latest reportedly spanning four and a half hours, according to Russian state media. Witkoff maintains that peace is achievable and tied to resolving the status of key territories in Ukraine, though specifics remain unclear.