US President Donald Trump is anticipated to converse with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week, as part of the efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism regarding meaningful progress to resolve the three-year war.
“I expect there will be a call between both presidents this week, and we are also continuing our discussions with the Ukrainians,” he remarked, adding that he believed the dialogue between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin would be “very positive.”
In an interview with CNN, Mr. Witkoff noted that while the situation on the ground is quite complex, “We’re working to bridge the gap between both sides.”
Despite recent strains between Mr. Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine has agreed in principle to a US-mediated 30-day unconditional ceasefire—contingent on Russia ceasing its assaults in eastern Ukraine.
Conversely, Mr. Putin has not consented to any truce, instead imposing conditions that exceed what was stipulated in the US agreement with Ukraine.
The ceasefire proposal from Mr. Trump’s team arises as Russia gains momentum in various regions along the front in Ukraine.
Mr. Zelensky cautioned that Russia aims to secure a “stronger position” militarily before any ceasefire can occur.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed “next steps” during a call, as stated by State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
Since his return to the White House in January, Mr. Trump has reiterated his commitment to ending the three-year conflict and has seen a remarkable diplomatic thaw with his Russian counterpart.
The statement did not specify when the next round of US-Russia talks hosted by Saudi Arabia would commence.
However, Mr. Rubio and Mr. Lavrov also “agreed to keep working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia,” Ms. Bruce added.
‘Moment of truth’
This call followed a virtual summit convened by the UK yesterday.
During that meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged around 26 fellow leaders to consider how to bolster Ukraine, safeguard any ceasefire, and maintain pressure on Russia.
Mr. Starmer asserted that the Russian president would eventually have to “come to the table.”
“Putin is attempting to delay—claiming a thorough examination is needed before a ceasefire can occur,” he added.
Military leaders from approximately 30 countries convened in Paris on March 11 to discuss plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, with a subsequent meeting scheduled in Britain on Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for collective action to ensure Russia adheres to the proposed ceasefire.
“This is a moment of truth because if Russia does not genuinely commit to peace, President Trump will enhance sanctions and retaliatory measures, which will significantly alter the dynamics,” Mr. Macron told French regional publications during an interview.
The British leader informed Emmanuel Macron and 25 other leaders during a call that they should focus on strategies to strengthen Ukraine.
“Russia must respond unequivocally, and the pressure must be evident, in tandem with the United States, to secure this ceasefire,” he stated in remarks to journalists.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asserted that Russia needs to demonstrate “its readiness to support a ceasefire that leads to a just and lasting peace.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Zelensky cautioned that Russia aimed to enhance its military standing prior to any ceasefire, now over three years since its invasion of Ukraine.
“They seek to bolster their conditions on the battlefield,” Mr. Zelensky informed journalists in Ukraine.
Troops
Mr. Starmer and Mr. Macron have indicated their willingness to deploy British and French troops in Ukraine, yet it remains uncertain if other countries are inclined to do the same.
Russia has dismissed the proposal of foreign soldiers serving as peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Nonetheless, Mr. Macron stated: “If Ukraine requests allied forces to be present on its territory, it is not for Russia to accept or decline.”
The UK prime minister has expressed his support for any offers of assistance for the coalition, suggesting the possibility that some nations may contribute logistics or surveillance.
Individuals navigate debris following a Russian aerial attack in Kherson, Ukraine.
Mr. Trump has appointed Keith Kellogg as the special envoy to Ukraine.
A former national security advisor during the president’s first term, Mr. Kellogg was previously recognized as a special envoy for both Ukraine and Russia.
However, he was excluded from recent discussions in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the war, with NBC News citing a senior Russian official who declared that Mr. Putin deemed him too pro-Ukraine.
Read more: Putin will have to ‘come to the table’ for a truce – Starmer
Conflict persists, with Russia regaining significant territory this week in the Kursk border region.
In Russia, three civilians were reported injured last night when Ukrainian drones targeted the town of Gubkin and the village of Dolgoe in the Belgorod region, officials announced via Telegram.
On the Ukrainian front, a residential building ignited and a house sustained damage yesterday evening in the northern Chernihiv region, authorities reported.
Russian officials noted ongoing efforts to drive out the remaining Ukrainian forces from western Russia, following a seven-month incursion by Ukraine aimed at diverting Moscow’s troops, gaining leverage, and provoking President Putin.
In one of the most notable confrontations of the three-year-long conflict, Ukrainian forces launched a significant attack across Russia’s western border in Kursk last August, marking the largest assault on Russian soil since the Nazi invasion of 1941.
Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected a command post in Kursk last week.
However, a rapid offensive this month has diminished the area under Ukrainian control to approximately 110 square kilometers, down from the 1,368 square kilometers claimed by Kyiv last year, according to open-source maps.
Battlefield maps from both Ukraine and Russia illustrated two interconnected areas of Ukrainian troops on the Russian side of the border in Kursk. Russia claimed it was clearing vast quantities of mines in the region.
Putin has accused Ukrainian forces of committing crimes against civilians in Kursk, a claim Kyiv has denied.
Ukraine has asserted that as many as 11,000 North Korean soldiers are engaged alongside Russia in Kursk, though both Russia and North Korea have refrained from providing specifics about their troops present.
The intense conflict for the Kursk region has underscored Mr. Trump’s efforts to terminate what he labels a “bloodbath” war that could escalate into World War Three.
The Russian military continues to shell the outskirts of Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, reduced towns to ruins, and triggered the most severe confrontation in decades between Moscow and the West.
US intelligence estimates suggest that over 100,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured, according to a 2023 assessment, while the economy has been severely impacted by unprecedented defense spending and the strictest Western sanctions ever enforced.
Ukraine has also seen over 100,000 troops killed or injured, based on leaked US intelligence reports.
