WNAM REPORT: Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Donald Trump’s envoy to deliver a message to Washington and receive “additional details” regarding this week’s US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says.
Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to inform the Russian president of a joint statement signed between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
In this agreement, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, while the US announced the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing with Kiev.
The document did not mention sanctions on Russia or security guarantees for Ukraine, but it did state that Ukraine’s European allies would be “involved in the peace process.”
On Friday, the Russian spokesman briefed journalists, stating that the Russian head of state gave Witkoff “information and additional signals for President Trump.”
Putin expressed his “absolute support” for the idea of resolving the conflict with Ukraine peacefully, citing his willingness to discuss Trump’s ceasefire proposal.
The Russian president suggested that dialogue could include a personal conversation with the US leader.
“There are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to talk about them with our American colleagues and partners, and, perhaps, have a call with President Trump to discuss them,” Putin said.
In addition to emphasizing the need to clarify all ceasefire details, Putin stressed that Moscow is not interested in a short-term solution but rather desires a lasting resolution to the conflict.
The Russian president cited the need for a system of “control and verification” to monitor any peace deal.
“We believe that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis,” he stated.
“Who will give orders to stop hostilities? … Who will determine where and who has violated a possible ceasefire agreement across 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles)?”
Furthermore, he suggested the fact that a 30-day ceasefire could be used by Ukraine for rearmament.
“Russian troops are advancing in almost all areas of the front… So how will these 30 days be used? For forced mobilization to continue in Ukraine, for weapons to be delivered there, for the newly mobilized units to be trained? … How can we, and how will we, be guaranteed that nothing like that will happen? How will control be organized?” he asked.
Witkoff had traveled to Russia last month to negotiate a prisoner exchange.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that Putin had released “a very promising statement, but it wasn’t complete.”
Also on Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Trump is “willing to apply maximum pressure on both sides,” including sanctions on Russia.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, the US and its allies have imposed at least 21,692 sanctions on Russia, targeting individuals, media organizations, the military sector, energy sector, aviation, shipbuilding, telecommunications, and other industries.
