WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are poised to engage in discussions this week as the United States endeavors to mediate a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This information was relayed by Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
This forthcoming conversation marks the second publicized call between the two leaders since Trump commenced his second term in January 2025. Earlier, Trump and Putin had a discussion in February, during which they decided to initiate high-level negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.
During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Witkoff expressed optimism regarding the upcoming dialogue between Trump and Putin. He stated, “I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.” Witkoff recently met with Putin in Russia, focusing on strategies to conclude the invasion of Ukraine, and he hinted at potential significant agreements in the near future.
Witkoff emphasized Trump’s optimistic timeframe, noting, “The president uses the timeframe of weeks, and I don’t disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we are going to see some real progress here.” His repeated assertions during an appearance on CBS's “Face the Nation” reflected a strong belief that the call could yield constructive outcomes, though he refrained from detailing potential decisions that might emerge from it.
Witkoff also highlighted the foundation of trust built between Trump and Putin during Trump’s initial presidency. He underscored the anticipation that the upcoming call would be “very positive and constructive.” Trump’s initial contact with Putin took place after Witkoff successfully facilitated the return of Marc Fogel, an American history teacher whom the United States classified as wrongfully detained.
Following the prisoner exchange, Trump characterized his discussion with Putin as “lengthy and highly productive.” Witkoff, however, remained non-committal regarding whether the call would reach a decision concerning a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire. While Ukraine has consented to the ceasefire proposal, Putin has indicated his agreement in principle but emphasized that there are still details to negotiate.
Witkoff remarked, “President Trump is the ultimate decision maker, our decision maker, and President Putin, for the country of Russia, is their decision maker. I think it’s a very positive sign that the two of them will be talking at some point. I think that’s showing that there’s positive momentum.”
The envoy brushed aside critical comments from French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated that Russia “does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace” and accused Putin of escalating hostilities prior to negotiations. Witkoff expressed disappointment regarding Macron's opinion, arguing that such assessments are unfortunate when lacking firsthand knowledge.
He concluded by sharing insights from his meetings with Putin, asserting, “I know what I heard, the body language I witnessed. I saw a constructive effort, over a long period of time to discuss the specifics of what’s going on in the field.”
