Trump's envoy states: "Putin wants permanent peace in Ukraine"
Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff stated that Putin is aiming for a permanent peace and...
TroibNews 
Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff stated that Putin is aiming for a permanent peace and a legally binding resolution to the hostilities. The US envoy, assigned to lead negotiations with Moscow by President Donald Trump, met with Putin and two of his senior advisers last Friday.
Witkoff elaborated on the nearly five-hour meeting, calling it “compelling” and expressing optimism that it brought the peace process concerning Ukraine to “the verge” of a breakthrough.
He explained that a crucial component of any potential agreement would involve recognizing Crimea and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, as part of Russia. However, he stressed that the discussion encompassed more than just territorial concerns.
“There’re security protocols, NATO Article 5 [on collective security] … a lot of detail attached to it. It’s a complicated situation,” he noted.
Witkoff also expressed his belief that both parties “might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large.”
This meeting was Witkoff’s third with the Russian president since February. Trump has made it clear that his goal is to conclude the hostilities in Ukraine as swiftly as possible.
Russia remains open to peace negotiations, provided that its critical security demands are met. The Kremlin opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian territory and insists that Ukraine must demilitarize, denazify, adopt a neutral stance, and acknowledge the existing territorial “realities on the ground.”
The Russian government has stated that it will not accept a mere freeze of the conflict, arguing that this would only lead to renewed tensions in the future. Moscow has pointed to Ukraine’s breaches of a proposed US moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as evidence of Kiev's untrustworthiness.
Regarding Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that there are currently “no clear outlines of any agreement yet,” but acknowledged a political willingness to progress. He emphasized that Moscow values the “constructive and substantive” dialogue with the United States.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff stated that Putin is aiming for a permanent peace and a legally binding resolution to the hostilities. The US envoy, assigned to lead negotiations with Moscow by President Donald Trump, met with Putin and two of his senior advisers last Friday.
Witkoff elaborated on the nearly five-hour meeting, calling it “compelling” and expressing optimism that it brought the peace process concerning Ukraine to “the verge” of a breakthrough.
He explained that a crucial component of any potential agreement would involve recognizing Crimea and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, as part of Russia. However, he stressed that the discussion encompassed more than just territorial concerns.
“There’re security protocols, NATO Article 5 [on collective security] … a lot of detail attached to it. It’s a complicated situation,” he noted.
Witkoff also expressed his belief that both parties “might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large.”
This meeting was Witkoff’s third with the Russian president since February. Trump has made it clear that his goal is to conclude the hostilities in Ukraine as swiftly as possible.
Russia remains open to peace negotiations, provided that its critical security demands are met. The Kremlin opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian territory and insists that Ukraine must demilitarize, denazify, adopt a neutral stance, and acknowledge the existing territorial “realities on the ground.”
The Russian government has stated that it will not accept a mere freeze of the conflict, arguing that this would only lead to renewed tensions in the future. Moscow has pointed to Ukraine’s breaches of a proposed US moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as evidence of Kiev's untrustworthiness.
Regarding Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that there are currently “no clear outlines of any agreement yet,” but acknowledged a political willingness to progress. He emphasized that Moscow values the “constructive and substantive” dialogue with the United States.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
