The person heading President Donald Trump’s effort to end the war in Ukraine and repair the relationship with Russia said progress was made during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
In an interview that aired Monday night, Fox News host Sean Hannity asked envoy Steve Witkoff if Putin was seeking a peace deal or whether Moscow’s engagement in diplomacy was just a façade to allow Russian forces to seize more territory. Witkoff responded that he saw a deal emerging.
“This is the third meeting I’ve had with [Putin]. This last meeting lasted close to five hours,” he continued. “It was a compelling meeting, and towards the end, we actually came up with” a path to a “permanent peace.”
Witkoff went on to say that the negotiations were about more than Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia. He mentioned that security proposals and no NATO membership for Ukraine were also part of the discussions.
The Kremlin gave a less optimistic outlook, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling the talks “tense and ongoing.” “The issue is so complex that it’s unrealistic to expect immediate results,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Witkoff mentioned that there were still a lot of “details” to be worked out, but said the two nuclear superpowers might be on the verge of a deal. “It’s a complicated situation rooted in some real problematic things happening between the two countries.” He added, “I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very important for the world at large.”
Trump’s envoy went on to tell Hannity that any peace agreement could be buttressed with economic cooperation with Russia to increase stability in Europe. “I believe there’s a possibility to reshape the Russian-United States relationship through some very compelling commercial opportunities. That, I think, gives real stability to the region,” he explained.
While Witkoff presented the talks with Russia in an optimistic light, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said the Kremlin must accelerate its engagement on ending the war in Ukraine, warning that Moscow risks facing new sanctions from Washington. On Friday, the White House said Trump was “continually frustrated” with both Russia and Ukraine.
Additionally, Witkoff’s meetings with Putin have drawn backlash within the administration. Trump’s envoy to the Ukraine conflict, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, has argued that Witkoff’s proposal is unworkable as it requires Kiev to give up on its goal of retaking the five oblasts annexed by Russia.
In a statement to Newsweek on Tuesday, the State Department said both Kiev and Moscow would have to make compromises. “We are working to advance a negotiated end to the war; the death and destruction must stop. President Trump wants peace, and we’re ready to provide the decisive leadership and conduct the difficult diplomacy necessary to reach a sustainable resolution.” It added that “Both Russia and Ukraine will need to make tough decisions and compromises.”
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev would be unwilling to surrender any land for peace. “Ukraine is a sovereign state, and all territories belong to the unified state of Ukraine,” he said. “Only the people of Ukraine can speak about the territories of our state. And you know that for us it is a red line to recognize any temporarily occupied territories as not Ukrainian, but Russian. Therefore, again, the relevant representatives are discussing issues outside their competence.”
