Trump’s envoy wants to persuade Putin on conditions of ceasefire agreement
(MENAFN) According to Bloomberg, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to propose a ceasefire in Ukraine that would freeze the conflict along the current frontlines. Despite the extended conversation, sources say Putin remained firm on Russia’s terms.
The meeting was the latest in ongoing backchannel discussions between the US and Russia, with Witkoff reportedly playing a central role in facilitating negotiations. He has met with Putin multiple times, including at least three direct talks, as part of an effort to explore a political resolution to the war.
Sources familiar with the talks said Putin reiterated that any peace agreement must include official recognition of the four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye—that Russia claimed in 2022 after holding referendums. Russia also insists that Crimea, annexed in 2014, is permanently off the negotiating table, emphasizing that recognition of current territorial realities is essential for lasting peace.
Axios recently reported that the US, under President Trump, had presented Kiev with what it called a “final offer,” which included formal US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and informal acknowledgment of Russia’s control over the four additional regions.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky responded by firmly rejecting the idea of ceding Crimea, prompting Trump to warn that Ukraine could “lose everything” if it delayed peace talks. Trump later claimed that Zelensky might be willing to compromise on the peninsula after a conversation during Pope Francis’ funeral.
Despite these efforts, Bloomberg reports that the peace talks have now stalled, and further progress may require direct negotiations between Trump and Putin. The two leaders spoke for two hours by phone in March, reaffirming a shared goal of achieving a durable peace. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently stated that a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin “will take place,” but only when the timing is right.
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