Egypt Daily News – Bloomberg quoted sources within government circles as saying that the Trump administration has informed European officials of its desire to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine by Easter.
Washington’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirmed that a U.S. delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to hold talks with Russian representatives regarding the Ukrainian settlement, expressing hope for significant progress.
Last Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call that lasted about an hour and a half.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the two leaders discussed issues related to the exchange of Russian and American citizens, as well as the resolution of the situation in Ukraine. He noted that Washington remains Moscow’s main counterpart in Ukrainian settlement discussions.
Trump later announced plans to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia, with their respective teams working to prepare for the summit in the near future.
Previously, Putin stated that if there is a genuine desire for a compromise solution, negotiations on Ukraine could take place with any party. However, he emphasized that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, due to his lack of legitimacy, does not have the authority to sign any agreements.
Putin also mentioned that Kyiv must find a way to revoke Zelenskyy’s decree prohibiting negotiations—a task that could be undertaken by the Ukrainian parliamentary speaker, for instance.
He further stressed that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine should aim for a lasting peace, rather than merely a temporary truce that allows for regrouping and rearmament to resume the conflict later.
For his part, Trump stated that Zelenskyy is willing to strike a deal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine but did not specify the terms.
