Trump envoy hints at potential ceasefire talks with Putin
Steve Witkoff, acting as a representative of US President Donald Trump, travelled to Russia for discussions with Russian leader Vladimir Putin about a ceasefire with Ukraine. He gave an interview to CNN this past Sunday, where he shared insights on when talks might occur between leaders from the White House and the Kremlin.
"I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have a conversation with the Ukrainians. We’re bridging the gap between two sides," Steve Witkoff said in the Sunday interview with CNN.
After meeting with Vladimir Putin, the US envoy emphasized that a key element of the negotiations will be the status of the four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia. During his conversation with CNN, he mentioned that talks with the Russian Federation's leader were factual and "solution-based," and that the positions of both sides are now closer than ever.
However, Witkoff declined to answer whether the United States recognizes Russia's territorial gains. He highlighted that the US continues to advise Ukraine on negotiation-related issues and remains actively involved in the discussions.
Trump denies media reports
The meeting between Witkoff and Putin happened two days after the US and Ukraine reached an agreement on a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
Putin stated that Russia supports the American proposal to resolve the conflict through peaceful means, but he emphasized that any ceasefire should lead to lasting peace to eliminate the fundamental causes of the conflict. He also suggested that the proposed ceasefire benefits Ukrainians, who can use this period for mobilization and rearmament.
In December 2023, Moscow approached NATO countries with a demand for written security guarantees. These included the withdrawal of Alliance troops to positions held in 1997.
"We are talking about the withdrawal of foreign forces, equipment and weapons and other steps in order to return to the configuration as of 1997 on the territory of countries that were not Nato members on the specified date. These include Bulgaria and Romania," stated Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, as reported by Sofiaglobe.
Russia's demand concerned 14 countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
