Putin ‘accepts Trump’s philosophy’ on ending Ukraine war, says US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that he aligns with US President Donald Trump’s approach to ending the Ukraine war, according to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The two leaders are expected to hold a phone conversation this week to discuss a ceasefire proposal.
Putin open to Trump’s philosophy on peace
“I don’t want to put words in President Putin’s mouth, but I think he’s indicated that he accepts the philosophy of President Trump,” Witkoff told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, following a four-hour meeting with the Russian leader.
“President Trump wants to see an end to this. I think President Putin wants to see an end to this,” Witkoff added.
While Putin has publicly supported the idea of a ceasefire, he has not fully backed Trump’s plan, stating that there are still “nuances” that need to be resolved.
US and Ukraine reached ceasefire agreement, Russia yet to accept
Last week, the US and Ukraine reached an agreement for a 30-day ceasefire to facilitate broader negotiations on ending the war. However, Russia initially refused to accept the proposal.
Despite this, Witkoff remains optimistic about upcoming negotiations. “I think everybody has to focus on the progress that’s been made since the president was inaugurated,” he said. “Nobody expected progress this fast. This is a very complicated situation, and yet we’re bridging the gap between two sides.”
Witkoff also stated that he expects Trump and Putin to have a “really good and positive discussion” this week and suggested that a deal could be reached in the coming weeks.
Zelensky firm on rejecting Russian-occupied territories
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will not recognise Russian control over any occupied territories.
When asked if the US would acknowledge Russian control of seized regions, Witkoff declined to answer directly, saying it was “a little bit premature to get into that now.”
US and Russia hold diplomatic talks
In a separate diplomatic development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about “concrete aspects” of discussions from last month’s US-Russia summit in Saudi Arabia.
“Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed to remain in contact,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, without mentioning the proposed ceasefire.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that the two diplomats “discussed the next steps on Ukraine” and agreed to “continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia.”
UK criticises Russia for stalling on ceasefire
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised Putin for “dragging his feet” on the ceasefire proposal during a virtual summit on Ukraine.
“The ‘yes, but’ from Russia is not good enough,” Starmer said, urging an end to the “barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all.”
Trump’s pressure on Zelensky and military aid freeze
Trump has reportedly exerted strong pressure on Zelensky to support the ceasefire deal, even briefly freezing military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine to push Kyiv into negotiations.
Following tense discussions at the White House last month, Ukraine ultimately agreed to the ceasefire proposal, leading the Trump administration to restore aid.
New US Envoy to Ukraine appointed
Ahead of Trump’s call with Putin, the White House announced that Gen. Keith Kellogg would now serve exclusively as Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine.
“General Kellogg, a Highly Respected Military Expert, will deal directly with President Zelensky and Ukrainian leadership,” Trump said in a statement Saturday.
As the Trump-Putin call approaches, all eyes will be on whether the discussions lead to a breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
