Donald Trump envoy Steve Witkov said on Sunday that he hopes the US president will talk to Vladimir Putin this week, and that the Russian president will “accept” Trump's ceasefire and conditions of peace.
Witkov told CNN that over the course of hours last week the discussion with Putin was “positive” and “solution-based.” He refused to confirm when asked if Putin's request included the surrender of the Ukrainian forces to Kursk. International recognition of Ukrainian territory seized as Russia by Russia. Limitations in Ukraine's ability to mobilize. Stopping military aid in the West. And the ban on foreign peacekeeping forces.
Putin said Thursday that he supported the ceasefire but outlined many details that need to be negotiated before the deal is completed. The Russian president said he was open to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US, but offered vague terms for his support and raised doubts about what the Kremlin wanted.
Witkov refused to explain Russian terminology. He said the US envoy “colded the differences” between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators and would meet with Trump on Sunday to discuss “how to narrow the differences even further.”
Witkov added that the debate included European stakeholder countries, including Ukraine, Russia, France, the UK, Norway and Finland, as well as other elements “contained in a ceasefire.”
Trump was being updated about the debate when they happened, he said. “He's involved in all the important decisions here, and I'm [US and Russian] President this week. ”
Witkov also said that the US continues to engage and have conversations with Ukraine, “we will advise them on everything we think.”
Ukraine agreed to the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in a speech in Saudi Arabia last week, and since the disastrous meeting at the White House two weeks ago, Ukrainian president Voldy Mee Zelensky has been trying to make Kee Yif an environment while in favor of Trump's plans.
Zelenskyy agreed to hold territorial questions and possible pending security assurance discussions until the ceasefire comes into effect and more detailed discussion takes place. Previously, he argued that a ceasefire would only make sense if the ceasefire provided some security assurance to Ukraine.
Trump has made it clear that while British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer is trying to bring together a coalition of other western allies to bring together peacekeeping forces that could be deployed in Ukraine after the deal, the US guarantees are not on the table. However, it is not clear that such a mission could work without supporting the US, and Russian officials have repeatedly ruled out accepting deals involving western boots on the ground in Ukraine.
On Sunday, Zelensky said Russia last week launched more than 1,000 drones and more than 1,300 guided air bombs on Ukrainian territory. “This is not someone who wants to end the war quickly, so we must jointly put pressure on Russia to stop the invasion,” Zelenki wrote in Telegram. Ukraine also fired a wave of new drones against Russian territory over the weekend.
Witkov said a team of US negotiators will meet with officials from both Russia and Ukrainian this week. “Like the president said, he really hopes there will be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, and I think so,” he said.
There were concerns that the settlement promoted by the Trump administration would look completely like a victory for Russia at the expense of Ukraine and its European allies.
Trump and Putin issued more alarms for Kiev last week by exchanging friendly language to ensure that the new US administration resides in Moscow while attacking Ukraine with threatening words and withdrawal of military support.
Separately, Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz said ABC's diplomacy is ongoing this week. Waltz said there was “some territory for future security, the future status of Ukraine,” and he called Ukraine's permanent NATO membership “incredibly unlikely.”
The Waltz said, “Are you going to drive away all Russians from every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea?”
He said: “We can talk about what is right or wrong. We also have to talk about the reality of the situation on earth. And that's what we do through diplomacy, shuttle diplomacy, proximity consultations.”
