Trump envoy seeks compromise with Putin for ceasefire deal
Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, traveled to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin, according to Axios, citing sources familiar with the matter.
What do you need to know?
- Witkoff's meeting with Putin is scheduled for Friday, as confirmed by FlightRadar data and a source acquainted with the trip.
- The aim of the talks is to achieve a 30-day ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is significant for the Trump administration.
- Russia is setting new conditions, including the lifting of certain American sanctions, complicating the negotiations.
What are Witkoff's goals for his visit to Russia?
Witkoff's discussions with Putin are part of the Trump administration's efforts to negotiate a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This is Witkoff's third meeting with Putin, Axios notes, which reported on Trump's envoy's trip.
Will Russia agree to a ceasefire?
Although Ukraine has agreed to Trump's proposal of an unconditional ceasefire, Russia has presented new demands, including the lifting of some U.S. sanctions. Last week, Witkoff held a meeting in Washington with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in an attempt to overcome the negotiation deadlock.
What are the next steps in the negotiations?
If a ceasefire agreement is not reached by the end of the month, President Trump may decide to impose additional sanctions against Russia. He has the authority to do this through his executive powers, or he can request Congress to pass new sanction laws. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Russia will address the issue of peace seriously.
- We hope that we are getting relatively close to getting a deal between Russia and Ukraine to stop the fighting - Trump stated during a cabinet meeting on Thursday at 10:00 AM ET.
What are the achievements in the talks so far?
As part of previous negotiations between Witkoff and Putin, the U.S. and Russia completed a prisoner exchange agreement, which resulted in the release of Ksenia Karelina, a citizen of both the U.S. and Russia. Trump expressed gratitude to Putin for this decision, emphasizing that it was the result of a request from the UFC.
Moreover, American and Russian diplomats met again on Thursday in Istanbul to discuss normalizing relations between the two countries.
