In a significant diplomatic development, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold talks in the coming days to discuss a potential ceasefire in the ongoing three-year conflict in Ukraine. The announcement comes as US envoy Steve Witkoff, following a meeting with Putin in Moscow, expressed optimism about reaching an agreement soon. Witkoff stated that he expects the two leaders to have a "really good and positive discussion" this week.
Following his meeting with Putin on Thursday, Witkoff promptly returned to the US embassy to brief President Trump on the discussions. The US envoy also briefed key members of the administration, including Vice-President JD Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
"So the president is getting updates in real time on everything that's happening, and he's involved in every important decision here," Witkoff said.
The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has seen Russia taking control of approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Despite the complexities of the situation, both the United States and Ukraine have proposed a 30-day ceasefire to Russia last week.
Putin has shown support for a ceasefire but insists on a list of stringent conditions for peace. Meanwhile, Trump has been vocal about his commitment to end the war, promising to do so "on day one" of a new administration. His engagement with Putin started shortly after his inauguration, with a 90-minute call discussing immediate negotiations for ending the war.
Witkoff expressed confidence that a deal could be reached "in the coming weeks". However, when pressed about addressing Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine as part of the potential deal, he declined to comment.
US negotiators are scheduled to meet with their counterparts from both Ukraine and Russia during this week to continue discussions. These efforts underscore the commitment of the United States to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
"I am really hopeful we are going to see some progress here," said Witkoff.
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