Prospective Putin-Trump Meeting to Be Scheduled After U.S. Envoy Briefs White House on Ukraine Ceasefire Discussions

Russian and American officials are set to arrange a meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump following the transmission of Putin’s feedback regarding a suggested 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, as reported by the Kremlin on Friday.

Witkoff met with Putin late on Thursday and was said to have departed Moscow in the early hours of Friday. U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz expressed “cautious optimism” to Fox News after his conversation with Witkoff.

“Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that ‘once Mr. Witkoff shares all the details with President Trump, we will decide on the timing for a dialogue between Trump and Putin.’ He also noted, ‘There are grounds for cautious optimism.’”

“Both parties recognize the necessity of this discussion,” he added.

On Thursday, Putin made his first public comments regarding the U.S. ceasefire initiative, which has Ukraine’s backing, stating that he was fundamentally supportive but had “serious questions” about how it would be carried out. He indicated that he would address these issues during a call with Trump.

Putin expressed worries that Ukraine could exploit a ceasefire for military gains and underscored Russia’s intention to keep advancing its military efforts. He also raised doubts about how the ceasefire would be monitored along a front that stretches for thousands of kilometers.

Trump characterized Putin’s response as “promising but incomplete,” while Peskov noted on Friday that Putin’s lack of clarity suggests “there is still much work to be done” in order to end the conflict.

“Nonetheless, the president aligns with Trump’s perspective,” Peskov stated.