President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkov, said he was “very optimistic” that the US could mediate a complete ceasefire and ultimately a peace agreement to end the Russian-Ukraine war.
in Interview He believes that a contract is needed to end a three-year war in Eastern Europe where “everyone can live” is needed.
“I believe that over the past eight weeks this Russian-Ukurein conflict has made more progress than everyone thought we would make,” Witkov said.
Ahead of future talks with both Russians and Ukrainians in Riyadh, US diplomats said they hope for an agreement on a partial ceasefire over attacks on energy infrastructure, as well as “restoring the Black Sea moratorium on maritime next week or that week.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = acvu2lbumgo
“It's a big thing, it's really big. What's the ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is a 30-day ceasefire. During that time, we'll discuss a permanent ceasefire. We're not too far from it,” predicted Witkov.
“There are all sorts of good positive stories from Russia about their willingness to consider all these different things, and I think Zelensky had a great conversation with the President.
“So I don't sound like an eternal optimist, but I'm very optimistic that I can bring together two aspects. I'm optimistic because we narrowed the issue quite a bit.”
However, Witkov acknowledged that considerable issues need to be resolved before a full ceasefire is agreed, especially given the current state of the frontline.
In a meeting with Vladimir Putin earlier this month, the Russian leaders questioned what Russia would do in a favorable battlefield scenario, but the Ukrainian forces refused to admit defeat, according to Witkov.
This may be particularly important in the Russian region of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprising anti-violence last summer, but reportedly besieged by Russian troops. Ukrainian scaffolding within the Russian mainland was discussed as Kiev's key negotiation tip in peace talks.
But Witkov said this is just one example of up to 90 different engagements between Russian and Ukrainian forces along the 2,000-kilometer border that need to be resolved before a ceasefire occurs, and “each of which needs to have a separate conversation.”
“That's what has to happen for a ceasefire. And yet, we're talking about it. It's a big, big deal,” he said.
While US diplomats believe Ukraine accepts that NATO membership is off the table in every transaction, the key fixed point is whether Kiev is willing to hand over the territory it lost, and is now controlled by Russia.
Two major obstacles to such a way of recognition were the Ukrainian constitution, which prohibits the transfer of land from the border in 1991, and President Zelensky's political difficulties questioned whether he could endure if the land was officially lost under his clock.
“In Russia, there is a sense that Ukraine has just patched this kind of mosaic, together with these regions, and that in my opinion is the root cause of this war, and that Russia has seen these five regions as legitimate since World War II.
“The question is that they accept that the world is Russian territory? Has it finished? If he admits this, will Zelensky survive politically? This is the central question of the conflict.”
Furthermore, Trump's envoys were critical of European leaders who gave Zelensky and Ukraine the false belief that they could win a war with a much larger enemy. Additionally, Witkov debated the perspective of European hawks, including London's proposal to send a “rejoiced coalition” of Paris and London to Ukraine.
“I think there's this kind of concept. We're all going to be like Winston Churchill. The Russians are going to march through Europe. I think that's ridiculous, by the way. There's something called NATO, which wasn't World War II.”
