Former US President Donald Trump has deployed a key official to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to salvage his peace agreement concerning Ukraine. Trump, posting on Truth Social, expressed confidence in his refined strategy to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and announced the dispatch of US envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow for discussions with Putin. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is set to engage in a separate meeting with Ukrainian representatives. Trump hinted at a potential in-person meeting involving himself, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but emphasized that such a meeting would only occur after substantial progress in negotiations.
Trump outlined his direction of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to hold talks with President Putin in Moscow and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll to engage with Ukrainian officials in a bid to finalize the peace plan. He expressed anticipation to meet with President Zelensky and President Putin once significant advancements have been achieved in the peace negotiations. The statement followed a meeting between Mr. Driscoll and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, with sources indicating positive progress in the discussions.
Over the weekend, reports indicated that the Ukrainian delegation had reached agreement with the United States on potential terms for a peace deal, with Trump highlighting only a few remaining points of contention. Earlier, the White House’s initial peace proposals drew criticism from Britain and European allies, who opposed Ukraine’s potential territorial concessions to Russia and limitations on its military capabilities.
In a separate development, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed optimism regarding ceasefire talks in Ukraine during discussions with leaders of the nation’s allies. Starmer, leading discussions with European allies, welcomed the positive developments in the latest talks and emphasized the importance of aligning the draft plan with Ukraine’s interests to pave the way for lasting peace. He acknowledged constructive proposals from Ukraine, supported by European national security advisers, indicating positive momentum towards accepting the majority of the proposed text.