Trump envoy Witkoff expects ‘real progress’ in Ukraine-Russia talks

U.S. envoy expects progress in Ukraine-Russia talks, trusts Putin wants peace, mediates between both sides.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday (March 23, 2025) he expects progress in Ukraine-Russia talks on Monday and that he trusts Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not want to expand his invasion of the pro-Western country.

“I think you are going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday (March 24, 2025) some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries. And from that, you’ll naturally gravitate to a full-on shooting ceasefire,” Mr. Witkoff told Fox News.

Also read: Kremlin says Russia-U.S. meeting to discuss peace, Black Sea deal

“I feel he wants peace,” Mr. Witkoff said of Mr. Putin, whose forces have been occupying swaths of Ukraine since 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022. “Lots of progress got made last week.”

The U.S. has made a stunning about-face on Russia since Mr. Trump took power.

Under former President Joe Biden, Washington treated Moscow as the aggressor and led a Western coalition to put pressure on the Kremlin. Mr. Witkoff said the main U.S. role now was to understand both sides and mediate.

“I’ve never ever seen a situation where there isn’t two sides to a story. It’s just never as black and white as people want to portray. So, there are grievances on both sides but our job ... is to narrow the issues, bring the parties together and stop the killing,” he said.