US envoy predicts Ukraine ceasefire in ‘couple of weeks’

WASHINGTON: US envoy Steve Witkoff said technical discussions on a possible deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war will begin Monday in Saudi Arabia, predicting a ceasefire agreement could come as soon as “a couple of weeks.”

“I believe on Monday we actually have the technical teams going” to the kingdom, Witkoff told Bloomberg Television early Wednesday as he expressed confidence in ongoing negotiations following a telephone call the previous day between US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

“They agreed on a pathway to some ceasefire conditions… and to a full-on ceasefire that will be negotiated over the coming days. I actually think in a couple of weeks we’re going to get to it,” he said.

Witkoff, who is also Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, did not provide details on the upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia. But he said it was time “for the technical teams to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, and everybody is committed to that process.”

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Asked by Bloomberg about the prospect of a possible meeting in the kingdom between Trump and Putin, Witkoff said “my best bet would be it’s likely to happen.” He offered no timeline.

Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Wednesday also expressed confidence about enacting steps to bring the fighting to an end.

“I spoke today with my Russian counterpart Yuri Ushakov about President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine,” Waltz posted on X.

“We agreed our technical teams would meet in Riyadh in the coming days to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia.”