Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, asking him to convey Moscow's thoughts to Washington, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
Putin asked Witkoff late Thursday to give additional messages to U.S. President Donald Trump, Peskov told reporters, after the Russian leader but set out a host of details that need to be clarified before it is agreed.
Trump said the U.S. held 鈥渧ery good and productive鈥 discussions with Putin the day before. In a post on his Truth Social site Friday morning, Trump said 鈥渢hat there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end.鈥
Ukraine, on parts of the front line three years after Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion, has already endorsed the truce proposal. Russia鈥檚 army , and analysts say Putin likely will be reluctant to rush into a ceasefire while he feels he has an advantage. The Russian army, backed by North Korean troops, are now close to completely driving Ukrainian forces from their foothold in in what would be a major setback for Kyiv.
Trump said Friday that 鈥渢housands鈥 of Ukrainian troops are surrounded by the Russian military, adding that he has 鈥渟trongly requested鈥 Putin to spare their lives. Hours later, Putin told the 好色tv Security Council that Moscow is willing to do that if Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region lay down arms and surrender.
Ukraine's General Staff, however, denied Friday that its forces in Kursk are encircled by Moscow's troops and said that any reports to that effect were 鈥渇abricated by the Russians for political manipulation and to exert pressure on Ukraine and its partners.鈥
A possible phone call between Putin and Trump to settle outstanding ceasefire issues could be arranged after Witkoff delivers the messages in Washington, Peskov said. 鈥淭here is an understanding on both sides that such a call is needed,鈥 Peskov said.
鈥淭here are certainly some grounds for cautious optimism,鈥 Peskov said of the ceasefire proposal. 鈥淎 lot still needs to be done, but the president has shown solidarity with President Trump鈥檚 position.鈥
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he was 鈥渃autiously optimistic,鈥 too. Speaking to reporters at the end of a Group of Seven meeting in Canada, Rubio said Trump administration officials plan to spend the weekend debriefing Witkoff on his session with Putin and on next steps.
The talks with Putin did not appear to secure the immediate agreement for a ceasefire that Rubio had said Americans would press Putin for. But, 鈥渨e certainly feel like we鈥檙e at least some steps closer to ending this war,鈥 Rubio said.
U.S. officials have said Washington was set to discuss technical issues related to a possible ceasefire next week. Given the range of issues on the table, and the sharp differences between what Moscow and Kyiv want, it could potentially take weeks or months for the guns to fall silent.
Trump vowed during his election campaign to settle the war in 24 hours, but in January he changed that timeframe, that peace could be negotiated in six months.
Putin鈥檚 apparently amicable tone toward the White House reflects the remarkable shift in U.S. relations with Russia and Ukraine since Trump returned to office in January. Former President Joe Biden had sought to isolate Putin.
During a speech Friday at the U.S. Department of Justice, Trump said a ceasefire that could halt fighting in Russia鈥檚 war with Ukraine could be close at hand. He also praised his relationship with Putin and seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for Russia鈥檚 2022 invasion, saying, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to pick on somebody that鈥檚 a lot larger than you.鈥
Trump has threatened both Russia and Ukraine with punitive measures if they don鈥檛 engage with his peace efforts.
Trump briefly cut off critical military aid and intelligence sharing in an apparent effort to push Kyiv to enter talks on ending the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Feb. 28 in which Trump questioned whether Ukraine wanted to halt the war.
Trump has raised the possibility of tightening sanctions on Russia, though his administration has also repeatedly embraced Kremlin positions on the conflict, including indicating that Ukraine鈥檚 hopes of joining NATO are unlikely to be realized and that it probably will not get back the land that Russia鈥檚 army occupies, which amounts to nearly 20% of the country.
Meanwhile, Russian air defenses downed four Ukrainian drones attacking the Russian capital early Friday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. One damaged the roof of an apartment building a few kilometers (miles) from the Kremlin.
Several other buildings were lightly damaged by drone fragments, but there were no injuries, according to emergency officials.
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