President Vladimir V. Putin from Russia met Steve Witkoff, an American special envoy, in Moscow at the end of Thursday, and now expects to talk to President Trump about a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, Kreml said.
Dmitri S. Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told reporters on Friday that “certainly” is the reason to feel “cautious optimism” about the prospects of settlement of war, in recent days diplomacy. He repeated similarly optimistic notes by Michael Waltz, a national security advisor, Mr. Trump, at the end of Thursday.
Mr. Peskov’s comments signaled that Russia continued to negotiate with the United States over Ukraine.
On Thursday, before meeting with Mr. Witkoff, Mr. Putin showed that this week is not rushing to accept the offer of a 30 -day ceasefire of Ukraine and the United States. Putine said at a press conference that he was opened by a proposalBut he suggested that he would try to negotiate for a number of problems – such as the supply of western weapons to Ukraine – that could delay any agreement or prevent.
Mr. Peskov said on Friday that Mr. Witkoff “submitted more information on the Russian side” and that Mr. Putin “passed information and other signals for President Trump”.
Mr. Peskov, however, suggested that the result of the diplomatic back and back would only prove after Mr. Witkoff reported Mr. Trump and after Russian and American leaders spoke by phone. Mr. Peskov added that the timing of Trump-Putin’s call was not yet necessary. Both leaders are Last time he is known to speak 12th February.
“After Mr. Witkoff passes all the information he received in Moscow in the head of state – we will determine the timing of the conversation afterwards,” Peskov said. “On both sides there is an understanding that such a conversation is necessary.”
Mr. Peskov’s comments were the latest indication that Mr. Putin seems to be trying to equalize the desire to avoid the disruption of Mr. Trump by their efforts to force extensive concessions from the west of the Ukraine. While Mr. Trump says he wants to end the war as quickly as possible, Mr. Putin seems to be sure that he has time on his side and that the unconditional ceasefire would benefit Ukraine.
There was no immediate comment from Mr. Witkoff or the wider Trump administration about the meeting with Mr. Putin. Mr. Witkoff, who is officially the president’s envoy, also took a key role as a partner with Russia – last month spent three hours meeting with Mr. Putin when he finished prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States.
Ukraine already has agreed with the support A proposal for a ceasefire supported by the US, but only if Russia does the same. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenky from Ukraine said that Mr. Putin set so many conditions at his press conference “that nothing would work at all or that it would not work as long as possible.”
But Mr. Waltz, an American National Security Adviser, later said at Fox News that the White House had “some cautious optimism” about the prospects of a ceasefire. Mr. Witkoff, said, “He put us back to us to evaluate and to make President Trump a decision on other steps.”
Referring to Mr. Putin’s press conference on Thursday, Mr. Waltz said, “Of course, both parties will have their requirements and both parties will of course have to compromise.”
