KEY POINTS
- US envoy predicts a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire within weeks
- Technical discussions are to begin on Monday in Saudi Arabia
- Trump and Putin agreed on initial ceasefire conditions
- Putin agreed to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and Black Sea targets
- Rubio and Waltz will represent the US in Jeddah
- Ukraine accuses Russia of rejecting the US-backed ceasefire
- Russia claims Ukraine is still targeting its energy infrastructure
- Kremlin says that a broader ceasefire depends on Ukraine’s allies halting military aid
WASHINGTON: US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday predicted that a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be reached within a “couple of weeks,” as technical discussions on a possible deal will begin on Monday in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to Bloomberg Television, Witkoff expressed confidence in ongoing negotiations after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“They agreed on a pathway to some ceasefire conditions… and to a full-on ceasefire that will be negotiated over the coming days,” he said.
Witkoff, who also serves as Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, did not provide specific details on the Saudi talks but noted that technical teams were now engaged in finalising the agreement. “I believe on Monday we actually have the technical teams going” to Saudi Arabia.
“It’s time for the technical teams to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, and everybody is committed to that process,” he added.
When asked about the possibility of a meeting between Trump and Putin in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff said, “My best bet would be it’s likely to happen,” though he did not specify a timeline.
Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz revealed on social media platform X that he had spoken with his Russian counterpart, Yuri Ushakov, about Trump’s efforts to end the war.
“We agreed our technical teams would meet in Riyadh in the coming days to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia,” Waltz stated.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed that Russia and the US are expected to finalise dates for further discussions soon.
“Both today and tomorrow, there will be additional agreements on the exact, precise dates,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
Peskov clarified that Putin had agreed to a halt in strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure but rejected claims that the ceasefire covered all infrastructure.
“On energy infrastructure facilities,” he specified when asked whether the agreement extended beyond energy targets.
Witkoff, speaking to Fox News, on Tuesday said that ceasefire talks would begin on Sunday in Jeddah.
He said that the US delegation would be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, though it remained unclear who their Russian counterparts would be.
He further claimed that Russia had agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure and targets in the Black Sea, adding, “I think both of those are now agreed to by the Russians. I am certainly hopeful that the Ukrainians will agree to it.”
However, Ukraine has accused Russia of rejecting the US-backed ceasefire proposal, with officials in Kyiv stating that Moscow’s continued military actions undermine peace efforts.
ALSO READ: Putin Agrees to Pause Strikes on Ukraine Energy Targets
The Kremlin, in turn, accused Ukraine of attempting to strike Russian energy facilities despite the agreement.
“Unfortunately, so far there has been no reciprocity on the part of the Kyiv regime. There were attempts to strike our energy infrastructure,” Peskov said. “These attacks are countering our common (Russian-American) efforts.”
Washington has been pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire as a preliminary step towards a broader peace settlement.
However, in his call with Trump, Putin reportedly insisted that any agreement would require Ukraine’s allies to halt military aid.
According to the Kremlin, Putin has already ordered a 30-day suspension of strikes against Ukrainian energy targets.
Nevertheless, Witkoff reiterated that the proposed ceasefire included “energy and infrastructure in general.”
He also praised Putin’s role in advancing peace efforts. “I commend Russian President Putin for all he did today on that call to move his country closer to a final peace deal,” Witkoff stated.
With agreements on energy and infrastructure targets, as well as those in the Black Sea, he suggested that “it’s a relatively short distance to a full ceasefire from there.”
The Kremlin noted that Trump and Putin’s discussions lasted around two hours and included military aid to Ukraine.
Peskov, however, declined to provide details, stating that it was a “sensitive topic” that “probably should not be discussed in public.”
