US envoy flies home after talks with Putin
US envoy Steve Witkoff flew home from Moscow overnight after landing that morning, Russian media reports according to TT.
The Kremlin confirms that he held late talks with Vladimir Putin, and states that a next step is a phone call between Putin and Trump, reports Reuters.
“There are reasons for cautious optimism,” a Kremlin statement said.
Putin is “generally in solidarity” with Trump’s stance on a ceasefire, but much work remains, according to the statement.
The timing of a phone call will now be determined after Witkoff returns to the US and talks with Trump.
US reports: Putin’s goal remains total control
Vladimir Putin has in no way abandoned his goal of total domination of all of Ukraine. This is shown by classified reports from US intelligence, according to sources to the Washington Post.
The reports underscore the diplomatic difficulties the Trump administration faces in the negotiations, and raise questions about whether the White House is misinterpreting Putin's willingness to seek peace, the newspaper writes.
Outwardly, Putin says he is ready to negotiate a peace solution, but he dismisses the plan for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine and the United States have drawn up, calling it unilateral.
The Kremlin has not issued a detailed list of its own demands, but it rules out Ukrainian NATO membership and foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky calls it predictable manipulation and says that what Putin really wants is to continue the war.
US envoy Steve Witkoff flew home from Moscow overnight after landing that morning, Russian media reports according to TT.
The Kremlin confirms that he held late talks with Vladimir Putin, and states that a next step is a phone call between Putin and Trump, reports Reuters.
“There are reasons for cautious optimism,” a Kremlin statement said.
Putin is “generally in solidarity” with Trump’s stance on a ceasefire, but much work remains, according to the statement.
The timing of a phone call will now be determined after Witkoff returns to the US and talks with Trump.
US reports: Putin’s goal remains total control
Vladimir Putin has in no way abandoned his goal of total domination of all of Ukraine. This is shown by classified reports from US intelligence, according to sources to the Washington Post.
The reports underscore the diplomatic difficulties the Trump administration faces in the negotiations, and raise questions about whether the White House is misinterpreting Putin's willingness to seek peace, the newspaper writes.
Outwardly, Putin says he is ready to negotiate a peace solution, but he dismisses the plan for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine and the United States have drawn up, calling it unilateral.
The Kremlin has not issued a detailed list of its own demands, but it rules out Ukrainian NATO membership and foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky calls it predictable manipulation and says that what Putin really wants is to continue the war.
Analysis: Putin does not want to insult Trump – but does not want to stop the war either
Vladimir Putin wants to sound reasonable and not insult Donald Trump, but it is clear that he has no interest in ending the war now, writes the BBC's Sarah Rainsford.
His priority is Russia’s interests – first and foremost, getting the Ukrainians out of Kursk, which he is well on his way to achieving, she continues.
“Putin’s response to the ceasefire proposal so far suggests that he intends to continue pursuing what he has always wanted: the total subjugation of Ukraine. No Western security guarantees, and no rearmament.”
Europe fears that Trump is so eager to be seen as a peacemaker that he will do anything, says Sky News’ Mark Stone.
“The worry is that Trump will accept many of Putin’s demands that we don’t even know about.”
Putin praises Trump and his peace initiative, but at the same time tries to stall and buy time by demanding further negotiations, writes Stephen Collinson for CNN.
“It’s a classic Russian diplomatic tactic: dragging the parties into drawn-out, exhausting negotiations so that the Kremlin can continue to pursue its strategic goals in the meantime.”
Vladimir Putin wants to sound reasonable and not insult Donald Trump, but it is clear that he has no interest in ending the war now, writes the BBC's Sarah Rainsford.
His priority is Russia’s interests – first and foremost, getting the Ukrainians out of Kursk, which he is well on his way to achieving, she continues.
“Putin’s response to the ceasefire proposal so far suggests that he intends to continue pursuing what he has always wanted: the total subjugation of Ukraine. No Western security guarantees, and no rearmament.”
Europe fears that Trump is so eager to be seen as a peacemaker that he will do anything, says Sky News’ Mark Stone.
“The worry is that Trump will accept many of Putin’s demands that we don’t even know about.”
Putin praises Trump and his peace initiative, but at the same time tries to stall and buy time by demanding further negotiations, writes Stephen Collinson for CNN.
“It’s a classic Russian diplomatic tactic: dragging the parties into drawn-out, exhausting negotiations so that the Kremlin can continue to pursue its strategic goals in the meantime.”
Trump reportedly kicked out Ukraine envoy – after pressure from Kremlin
Donald Trump's Ukraine and Russia envoy Keith Kellogg has been kicked out of several important meetings after pressure from the Kremlin. This is stated by both American and Russian officials to NBC News.
Kellogg did not attend the meeting with Russia in Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago or during the one with Ukraine on Tuesday. And on Thursday evening, it was instead Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who met with Vladimir Putin.
- Kellogg is a former American general, too close to Ukraine. Not our type of person, not of the caliber we are looking for, says a Russian source.
The channel writes that the situation means that Kellogg's role is currently unclear.
Steve Witkoff's meeting with Vladimir Putin took place behind closed doors on Thursday evening, according to several media outlets. There has been no information about what was said at the meeting.
Donald Trump's Ukraine and Russia envoy Keith Kellogg has been kicked out of several important meetings after pressure from the Kremlin. This is stated by both American and Russian officials to NBC News.
Kellogg did not attend the meeting with Russia in Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago or during the one with Ukraine on Tuesday. And on Thursday evening, it was instead Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who met with Vladimir Putin.
- Kellogg is a former American general, too close to Ukraine. Not our type of person, not of the caliber we are looking for, says a Russian source.
The channel writes that the situation means that Kellogg's role is currently unclear.
Steve Witkoff's meeting with Vladimir Putin took place behind closed doors on Thursday evening, according to several media outlets. There has been no information about what was said at the meeting.
White House on Trump: He wasn't the one who spoke to Putin
The White House announces that President Donald Trump did not personally speak on the phone with Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Trump's post on Truth Social was based on the conversation that US envoy Steve Witkoff had with Putin.
Trump wrote, among other things, that there is a "very good chance that this terrible war" can end.
In the post, the US president also writes about the situation in Kursk. In capital letters, he states that "thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by Russian military and in a very bad and vulnerable position."
These statements have also been criticized. The Guardian writes that the impression is that Trump is "fed information by Putin."
The White House announces that President Donald Trump did not personally speak on the phone with Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Trump's post on Truth Social was based on the conversation that US envoy Steve Witkoff had with Putin.
Trump wrote, among other things, that there is a "very good chance that this terrible war" can end.
In the post, the US president also writes about the situation in Kursk. In capital letters, he states that "thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by Russian military and in a very bad and vulnerable position."
These statements have also been criticized. The Guardian writes that the impression is that Trump is "fed information by Putin."
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar