Trump, Putin call expected this week, as admin edges closer to Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal: Witkoff
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Sunday that President Donald Trump will likely speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.
In an appearance on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ Witkoff was asked when a deal to end the war in Ukraine could be anticipated.
‘The president uses the timeframe weeks, and I don’t disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we’re going to see some real progress here,’ Witkoff said. ‘Nobody expected progress this fast. This is a highly, very complicated situation, and yet we’re bridging the gap between two sides. So, lots of things that remain to be discussed, but I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.’
Trump’s special envoy met with Putin in Moscow on Thursday, days after U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia agreed to the terms of a potential ceasefire with Russia.
Witkoff said he met with Putin for between three and four hours and had a ‘positive’ and ‘solution-based’ discussion.
‘Before this visit, there was another visit, and before that visit, the two sides were miles apart,’ Witkoff told CNN host Jake Tapper. ‘The two sides are, today, a lot closer. We had some really positive results coming out of the Saudi Arabia discussion led by our national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and our secretary of state, Marco Rubio.’
‘I describe my conversation with President Putin as equally positive,’ Witkoff said. ‘The two sides have… we’ve narrowed the differences between them, and now we’re sitting at the table. I was with the president all day yesterday, I’ll be with him today, we’re sitting with him, discussing how to narrow it even further.’
It was the second time Witkoff had met with Putin in the last month. The first sit-down in mid-February resulted in the Russians releasing U.S. prisoner Marc Fogel.
Witkoff said he briefed Trump, Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles and Waltz from the U.S. embassy within five to 10 minutes of meeting with Putin last week.
‘President Trump has been involved in every aspect and dimension of these discussions,’ Witkoff said. ‘The president is getting updates in real time on everything that’s happening, and he’s involved in every important decision here. I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have conversations with the Ukrainians. We’re advising them on everything we’re thinking about.’
‘The four regions are of critical importance here,’ Witkoff said of the terms of the deal. ‘And we’re in discussions with Ukraine, we’re in discussions with all these stakeholder European countries, so that includes France, Britain, Norway, Finland… the whole host.… And we’re in discussions with the Russians too about those regions. We’re also in discussion with all other elements that would be encompassed in a ceasefire.’
Witkoff flew to Moscow last week from Doha, Qatar, where he mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a potential extension of their ceasefire agreement.