Trump's Middle East Envoy Witkoff: Putin is open to a lasting peace deal with Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, made statements to the U.S. press regarding the Russia-Ukraine War.

Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the third time in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week, Witkoff stated that Putin is open to a "lasting peace" agreement with Ukraine.

Witkoff said, "Putin's request is to establish a lasting peace here. So, beyond a ceasefire, we have received a response on this matter. It took time to reach this point."

Stating that the peace plan on the agenda also covers the "five regions" referring to the Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation, Witkoff added that Russia's demand for Ukraine to abandon its NATO membership bid is also on the table. Expressing that there is a complex situation stemming from real issues between the two countries, Witkoff said, "I think we might be on the verge of something very, very important for the whole world."

Noting that trade relations between the U.S. and Russia are also part of the discussions, Witkoff said, "I believe there is an opportunity to reshape the Russia-U.S. relationship through some commercial opportunities that I believe will bring real stability to the region."