Monitoring Desk:
Washington/Moscow: US President Donald Trump is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to explore ways to end the ongoing three-year conflict in Ukraine, according to US envoy Steve Witkoff.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday after returning from a meeting with Putin in Moscow, Witkoff described the discussions as positive and expressed optimism about the upcoming Trump-Putin call.
“I expect both presidents will speak this week, and we continue to engage with Ukrainian officials as well,” Witkoff said, adding that he believes the conversation will be constructive.
Trump is seeking Putin’s backing for a 30-day ceasefire proposal, which Ukraine has already agreed to. Despite ongoing heavy aerial strikes over the weekend, Russia has advanced toward expelling Ukrainian forces from Kursk, a western Russian region where Ukraine has maintained a presence for months.
In a social media post on Friday, Trump expressed hope that the war could finally end, stating that there is a “very good chance” for peace. He also revealed that he had urged Putin to avoid large-scale attacks on Ukrainian troops currently withdrawing from Kursk.
The Trump-Putin call is expected to be a significant diplomatic step amid continued hostilities.
