Ukraine: The Latest Witkoff praises Putin the 'humanitarian’ as Moscow kills Ukrainian children
Oct 21, 2026
Antonia Langford, a Kyiv-based freelance journalist, and Alex Nichol, a Telegraph reporter covering the war, examine Witkoff’s praise of Putin, Oslo’s uncertain peace prospects and a controversial prisoner release. They discuss Kyiv’s relentless bombardment, Russia’s propaganda over Mariupol, Ukraine’s drone warfare and the murky Starlink dispute. NATO’s Black Sea response and the human cost of the war round out the conversation.
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Why The Peace Plan May Be A Russian Ambush
- Proposed peace talks combine familiar security guarantees with postwar investment plans, but Russia’s territorial demands remain unresolved.
- Dominic Nicholls sees the process as an ambush designed to extract one more Ukrainian concession while Putin believes the war favors him.
Putin Sees No Reason To Compromise
- The panel argues that Putin has no incentive to negotiate while Ukraine’s defenses and Western unity appear weaker.
- Antonia Langford says the United States has lost credibility as a neutral mediator.
Why Ukrainians Distrust A Trilateral Summit
- Steve Witkoff arrived in St Petersburg seeking renewed trilateral talks involving Putin, Zelensky and Trump.
- Ukrainians reportedly see such a meeting as unlikely and potentially another public humiliation ritual for Zelensky.