U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to explore solutions for ending the three-year war in Ukraine, according to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who described his recent meeting with Putin in Moscow as "positive." Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night, stated that a conversation between the two leaders is expected this week while discussions with Ukraine also continue. He expressed optimism, calling the anticipated talk between Trump and Putin "really good and positive."
Trump is working to secure Putin's backing for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, even as both nations continued exchanging heavy airstrikes over the weekend. Meanwhile, Russian forces made further advances toward expelling Ukrainian troops from their foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk. Trump, in a social media post on Friday, expressed hope that the "horrible, bloody war" could finally come to an end. He also stated that he had "strongly requested" Putin to spare the thousands of Ukrainian soldiers being pushed out of Kursk.
Putin signaled his willingness to honor Trump's request, provided the Ukrainian troops surrendered. The Kremlin also confirmed that Putin had sent Trump a message through Witkoff, expressing "cautious optimism" about the potential for a ceasefire agreement.
On Sunday, key administration figures—including Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz—acknowledged that significant obstacles remain before Russia agrees to a ceasefire, let alone a comprehensive peace settlement. When asked whether the U.S. would accept a deal allowing Russia to retain control over occupied parts of eastern Ukraine, Waltz questioned whether every Russian soldier could realistically be removed from Ukrainian territory, stressing the need for a pragmatic approach.
Rubio noted that a final peace agreement would require "difficult negotiations and concessions from both Russia and Ukraine," emphasizing that meaningful discussions could not begin while active combat persists. Trump has repeatedly warned that without a ceasefire, the ongoing conflict risks escalating into World War Three.
As part of efforts to push forward ceasefire talks, the Trump administration made key strategic moves last week. On Saturday, Trump announced that General Keith Kellogg's role had been adjusted from special envoy for both Ukraine and Russia to exclusively Ukraine, following Russian objections to his involvement in negotiations.
Additionally, a U.S. license permitting energy transactions with Russian financial institutions expired last week, increasing economic pressure on Moscow to engage in peace efforts. The U.S. Treasury Department is also evaluating further sanctions against Russian oil giants and service companies, deepening prior measures introduced during the Biden administration.