St. Petersburg, Apr 12 (V7N)- US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia for a critical diplomatic meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (April 11), where former US President Donald Trump urged Putin to "move towards a ceasefire" in the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

According to BBC News, the meeting forms part of a larger effort to restore bilateral relations between the United States and Russia, which had been severely strained over recent years due to the war in Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions.

The discussions were framed within the context of recent diplomatic talks held in Turkey and Istanbul, where key issues were addressed, such as the return of diplomatic properties, the possibility of easing sanctions, and restarting direct flights between the two countries.

Analysts view this new round of negotiations, which involve both diplomatic efforts and battlefield dynamics, as potentially pivotal in finding a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. However, the path toward significant progress remains unclear, with many cautioning that a breakthrough could take time.

Earlier on Friday, an important meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was held in Brussels, gathering representatives from 50 countries, including key players such as the United Kingdom and Germany. British Defense Minister John Healy stated that the meeting's primary goal was to increase pressure on Russian President Putin, signaling the continued focus on diplomatic and military strategies to address the Ukraine crisis.

The ongoing discussions are seen as an indication of growing international efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, although tangible progress on the ground remains uncertain.

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