Witkoff Anticipates Meeting with Putin, Says White House
The US presidential envoy is reportedly set to miss a meeting with Ukrainian officials in London. According to the White House, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will journey to Russia for another meeting with President...
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The US presidential envoy is reportedly set to miss a meeting with Ukrainian officials in London.
According to the White House, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will journey to Russia for another meeting with President Vladimir Putin later this week.
Witkoff has engaged in several discussions with senior Russian officials, which have included at least three meetings with Putin, and is regarded as a key figure in fostering improved relations between Moscow and Washington during Trump's second term. Russian presidential adviser Yury Ushakov confirmed on Tuesday that reports about Witkoff’s upcoming visit are accurate.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later informed reporters that both Trump and Witkoff “wanted everybody to know that the negotiations continue.”
Leavitt added, “We feel, again, we are hopefully moving in the right direction, and the special envoy Steve Witkoff will be heading to Russia again later this week to continue talks with Vladimir Putin.”
The White House has not disclosed Witkoff’s specific travel itinerary after the Financial Times reported he would forgo a meeting with European and Ukrainian officials in favor of traveling to Moscow.
Washington is anticipated to unveil its peace framework in London on Wednesday, following a series of high-level discussions in Paris last week, during which Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with officials from France, the UK, Germany, and Ukraine.
However, Rubio will not participate in the upcoming round of discussions due to his “busy” schedule, as stated by spokesperson Tammy Bruce. Instead, General Keith Kellogg, another of Trump’s envoys assigned to negotiate directly with Kiev, will represent Washington.
The Washington Post noted on Tuesday that US proposals may include formally recognizing Crimea as Russian territory and possibly lifting sanctions on Moscow. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that Russia is willing to cease hostilities along the current front line.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that “a lot of fakes are being published now, including by respected publications,” urging the public to depend on official sources for updates on US–Russian negotiations regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Russia has consistently maintained that any peace agreement must address the "root causes" of the conflict, which includes NATO’s expansion eastward and Kiev’s aspirations to join the US-led alliance. Additionally, Moscow has insisted that Kiev acknowledge not only Crimea but also the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as part of Russia.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
According to the White House, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will journey to Russia for another meeting with President Vladimir Putin later this week.
Witkoff has engaged in several discussions with senior Russian officials, which have included at least three meetings with Putin, and is regarded as a key figure in fostering improved relations between Moscow and Washington during Trump's second term. Russian presidential adviser Yury Ushakov confirmed on Tuesday that reports about Witkoff’s upcoming visit are accurate.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later informed reporters that both Trump and Witkoff “wanted everybody to know that the negotiations continue.”
Leavitt added, “We feel, again, we are hopefully moving in the right direction, and the special envoy Steve Witkoff will be heading to Russia again later this week to continue talks with Vladimir Putin.”
The White House has not disclosed Witkoff’s specific travel itinerary after the Financial Times reported he would forgo a meeting with European and Ukrainian officials in favor of traveling to Moscow.
Washington is anticipated to unveil its peace framework in London on Wednesday, following a series of high-level discussions in Paris last week, during which Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with officials from France, the UK, Germany, and Ukraine.
However, Rubio will not participate in the upcoming round of discussions due to his “busy” schedule, as stated by spokesperson Tammy Bruce. Instead, General Keith Kellogg, another of Trump’s envoys assigned to negotiate directly with Kiev, will represent Washington.
The Washington Post noted on Tuesday that US proposals may include formally recognizing Crimea as Russian territory and possibly lifting sanctions on Moscow. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that Russia is willing to cease hostilities along the current front line.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that “a lot of fakes are being published now, including by respected publications,” urging the public to depend on official sources for updates on US–Russian negotiations regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Russia has consistently maintained that any peace agreement must address the "root causes" of the conflict, which includes NATO’s expansion eastward and Kiev’s aspirations to join the US-led alliance. Additionally, Moscow has insisted that Kiev acknowledge not only Crimea but also the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as part of Russia.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
