Trump envoy waits as Putin prioritises Lukashenko talks
Donald Trump spoke on Friday about "very good and productive" talks with Russia. Meanwhile, Sky News revealed that Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, waited eight hours to meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
What do you need to know?
- Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Thursday to propose a one-month ceasefire.
- Vladimir Putin was busy meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, which delayed talks with Witkoff. Trump's envoy had to wait eight hours to meet with Putin.
- The meeting occurred behind closed doors, and Witkoff spent just over 12 hours in Moscow.
Why did Witkoff have to wait?
Steve Witkoff was sent to Moscow as Donald Trump's chief negotiator. His task was to convey the American proposal for a one-month ceasefire to Vladimir Putin. However, as the British television network Sky News reported, Witkoff had to wait eight hours for a meeting with the Russian leader.
What caused such a delay? Putin was busy with talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Was the delay intentional?
According to Sky News, Lukashenko's visit to Moscow on that day might not have been coincidental, especially since it was announced just a day earlier. Ivor Bennett, the author of the publication, suggests that Putin wanted to demonstrate his authority and independence from American expectations. "We don't know for sure if the timing of Mr Lukashenko's visit was deliberate, but it certainly didn't feel like a coincidence," Bennett notes.
After a long wait, Witkoff finally met with Putin, and the talks took place behind closed doors.
Bennett notes that Putin's behaviour was a clear signal to the Americans: "I'm the boss, I set the schedule, and I'm not beholden to anyone."
