Putin-Trump Meeting Dates to Be Discussed After U.S. Envoy Briefs White House on Ukraine Talks, Kremlin Says

Russian and U.S. officials will organize a meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff relays Putin’s response to a proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin said Friday.

Witkoff met with Putin late Thursday and was reported to have left Moscow in the early hours of Friday. U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News that he had “cautious optimism” after speaking with Witkoff.

“When Mr. Witkoff presents 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 are reasons to be cautiously optimistic.”

“Both sides understand that this conversation is necessary,” he added.

On Thursday, Putin gave his first public remarks on the U.S. ceasefire proposal, which Ukraine supports, saying that he supported it in principle but had “serious questions” about its implementation. He said he would discuss these concerns in a phone call with Trump.

Putin raised concerns that Ukraine might use a pause in fighting to its military advantage and emphasized that Russia wanted to continue advancing its forces. He also questioned how the ceasefire would be monitored along a front line spanning thousands of kilometers.

Trump called Putin’s response “promising but incomplete,” and Peskov said Friday that Putin’s ambiguity indicates “there’s still a lot to be done” to bring an end to the war.

“Nevertheless, the president agrees with Trump’s position,” Peskov said.

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