Russia expects more truce talks with US once Witkoff briefs Trump

MOSCOW: Russia said Friday it expected Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump would discuss a US-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine, but that US envoy Steve Witkoff needed to relay Putin’s thoughts to the American president first.

Witkoff met the Russian president late Thursday to lay out the details of the US plan, which Ukraine agreed to on Tuesday.

“When Mr Witkoff brings all the information to President Trump, we will determine the timing of a conversation (between Trump and Putin),” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“There is an understanding on all sides that such a conversation is needed. There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic,” Peskov added.

Russia lays out demands for talks with US on Ukraine, sources say

“There is still much to be done, but the president has nevertheless identified with President Trump’s position.”

Putin said Thursday he backed the idea of a truce with Ukraine, but said he had “serious questions” about how it would be implemented that he wanted to discuss with Trump, and that it must lead to “long-term peace”.

The joint Ukrainian-US plan envisages a 30-day interim ceasefire in the three-year conflict that could be extended by mutual agreement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday condemned Putin’s ambivalent response to a proposed ceasefire as “very manipulative”.