Trump’s not one to back down from a fight. He’s about to prove that.
And President Trump is set to meet with the leader of this foreign adversary in a stunning turn of events.
Trump and Putin Set to Discuss Ukraine Ceasefire as Progress Accelerates
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff revealed on Sunday that President Donald Trump is poised to hold a pivotal conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. The announcement signals a potential breakthrough in efforts to halt the ongoing war in Ukraine, with both leaders seemingly ready to tackle the complex issue head-on.
Witkoff shared these insights during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union, where he fielded questions about the timeline for a possible resolution.
“The president uses the timeframe weeks, and I don’t disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we’re going to see some real progress here,” Witkoff stated confidently.
“Nobody expected progress this fast. This is a highly, very complicated situation, and yet we’re bridging the gap between two sides. So, lots of things that remain to be discussed, but I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.”
The special envoy’s optimism stems from a flurry of recent diplomatic activity. Just last Thursday, Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow, a meeting that followed closely on the heels of a key agreement in Saudi Arabia.
There, U.S. and Ukrainian officials hammered out the groundwork for a potential ceasefire with Russia. Reflecting on his time with Putin, which lasted between three and four hours, Witkoff described the exchange as both “positive” and “solution-based.”
“Before this visit, there was another visit, and before that visit, the two sides were miles apart,” Witkoff said to CNN host Jake Tapper. “The two sides are, today, a lot closer. We had some really positive results coming out of the Saudi Arabia discussion led by our national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and our secretary of state, Marco Rubio.”
He added, “I describe my conversation with President Putin as equally positive. The two sides have… we’ve narrowed the differences between them, and now we’re sitting at the table.”
Witkoff has been a frequent visitor to Moscow, marking his second meeting with Putin in the past month. Their initial encounter in mid-February bore fruit when Russia released U.S. prisoner Marc Fogel, a sign of thawing tensions.
Last week’s discussions, however, appear to have pushed the needle further. Within minutes of leaving Putin, Witkoff briefed Trump, Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles, and Waltz from the U.S. embassy, emphasizing Trump’s hands-on role in the process.
“President Trump has been involved in every aspect and dimension of these discussions,” Witkoff stated.
“The president is getting updates in real time on everything that’s happening, and he’s involved in every important decision here. I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have conversations with the Ukrainians. We’re advising them on everything we’re thinking about.”
At the heart of the negotiations are four critical regions, which Witkoff identified as linchpins in the ceasefire talks. “The four regions are of critical importance here,” he explained.
“And we’re in discussions with Ukraine, we’re in discussions with all these stakeholder European countries, so that includes France, Britain, Norway, Finland… the whole host.… And we’re in discussions with the Russians too about those regions. We’re also in discussion with all other elements that would be encompassed in a ceasefire.”
Fresh off mediating talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar, Witkoff jetted to Moscow last week to keep the momentum going. His efforts reflect a dynamic U.S. approach, weaving together multiple threads of diplomacy to inch closer to peace in Ukraine.
With Trump and Putin potentially set to speak soon, the world watches as this intricate puzzle begins to take shape.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
