Bangladesh, April 16 -- In a dramatic new development that could shift the course of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly seeking a “permanent peace” and a “legally binding settlement,” according to Steve Witkoff, the special envoy appointed by US President Donald Trump. The disclosure follows a nearly five-hour meeting between Witkoff and the Russian leader on April 11, their third meeting since February.

Witkoff, a businessman and Trump confidant now turned diplomat, shared details of the meeting in an April 14 interview with Fox News, calling the discussions with Putin “compelling” and expressing cautious optimism that a major diplomatic breakthrough may be...