Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown openness to a “permanent peace” agreement with Ukraine, US special envoy Steve Witkoff reported. In a recent television interview, Witkoff provided an account of his meeting with Putin in Saint Petersburg, describing the meeting as “compelling.” But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned that the negotiations would not be simple, while Ukraine and its European allies urged Washington to remain vigilant for potential Russian delays in ceasefire negotiations.
Witkoff was upbeat after a five-hour meeting with the Russian president, stating, “We could be on the threshold of something that would be extremely significant for the world.” He acknowledged the long journey to this moment but intimated that an agreement was on the horizon, one that would revolutionize U.S.-Russia relations through “commercial opportunities” aimed at fostering regional stability.
The third meeting between the U.S. and Russia since Trump became president again was where he claimed he could stop the war within 24 hours. Even after the diplomacy, substantial progress towards a ceasefire is still not in sight, with Ukraine accepting U.S. proposals while Russia persists with its military operations, including a deadly assault on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.
Both nations have accused each other of violating a U.S.-brokered deal to cease attacks on energy facilities. While Witkoff’s report offered a rosy scenario, Lavrov emphasized the challenge of negotiating the “key elements” of a peace deal. He stated that the Trump administration is attempting to determine the “root cause” of the conflict, accusing Washington and Brussels of actions that supposedly led to the rise of the present Ukrainian regime.
Trump, whose position on the war has been of concern to Ukraine, echoed Lavrov’s sentiment and blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former President Joe Biden for the war. He said, “There are millions of people dead because of three people,” naming Putin, Biden, and Zelenskyy as key figures in the crisis. Trump criticized Zelenskyy’s attempt to obtain military aid, indicating that one must be ready for war before provoking it.
Trump and Zelenskyy have been seething with tensions since the U.S. president initiated negotiations with Russia earlier this year, with critics charging that he has leaned in the Kremlin’s favor. Trump and Zelenskyy began negotiations on U.S. access to Ukraine’s valuable minerals on shaky ground following a heated exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Ukraine has also lamented being excluded from U.S.-Russia talks. In a recent interview, Zelenskyy urged that decisions be made with the human cost of war, stating, “Come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s European allies have cautioned the Trump administration against being fooled by Russia’s actions in ceasefire talks. The latest Sumy attack should serve as a wake-up call, said Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, that Putin is “mocking their goodwill.”.
