Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Mar 17: The US effort to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia may gain momentum as President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed ongoing discussions with both Moscow and Kyiv, suggesting that negotiations are moving toward a possible truce.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Witkoff said, “I expect that there’ll be a call with both presidents this week. And we’re also continuing to engage and have conversations with the Ukrainians.” His comments came after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that Putin had sent messages to Trump ahead of the potential call, expressing “cautious optimism” about a ceasefire deal.
Witkoff recently met with Putin in Moscow following Ukraine’s acceptance of a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire during talks in Saudi Arabia. However, Putin rejected the proposal, stating that unresolved issues remain. Despite the setback, Witkoff described his conversation with Putin as ‘positive’ and ‘solution-based,’ adding that he believes the Russian leader ‘accepts the philosophy of President Trump’ and shares a desire to end the war.
The Trump administration is reportedly confident that a ceasefire deal is within reach. National security advisor Mike Waltz told ABC’s This Week that Putin is open to discussions but has additional conditions that Trump’s national security team is currently reviewing. These include security guarantees and the future status of Ukraine, indicating that negotiations could involve territorial concessions or assurances regarding Ukraine’s NATO ambitions.
Kyiv has been seeking firm commitments from the US and its allies for protection against future Russian aggression, but Washington has been reluctant to provide such guarantees. This hesitation led to the collapse of a minerals trade deal between the US and Ukraine in recent weeks.
Trump’s push for a ceasefire has sparked controversy, particularly in Ukraine and across Europe, where officials fear the US is pressuring Kyiv into making concessions to Russia. The US president briefly halted arms shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, actions seen as a means of forcing compliance before later restoring support.
Trump has also drawn criticism for his stance on Ukraine, referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator” and claiming that dealing with Kyiv has been more difficult than negotiating with Moscow. Nevertheless, senior US officials maintain that direct engagement with both sides is crucial to ending the conflict, which has dragged on for three years.
As the world watches closely, the anticipated Trump-Putin call could play a pivotal role in determining whether a ceasefire deal is truly on the horizon or if the war will continue unabated.