Russia on Friday said President Vladimir Putin had sent “additional” signals to counterpart Donald Trump about a Washington-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine, adding it was “cautiously optimistic” about the prospect of a deal.
US envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin late Thursday to lay out the details of the joint US-Ukrainian plan, which envisages a 30-day pause in hostilities between Moscow and Kyiv after three years of fighting.
The Kremlin said Putin conveyed “additional” signals to Trump via Witkoff, and that the two leaders could speak once Trump had been briefed on these messages.
“When Mr Witkoff brings all the information to President Trump, we will determine the timing of a conversation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“There is an understanding on all sides that such a conversation is needed.”
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said in a Fox News interview that the US had “some cautious optimism” after Witkoff’s visit.
Commenting on Waltz’s remarks, Peskov said Friday: “There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic.”
“There is still much to be done, but the president has nevertheless identified with President Trump’s position.”
Putin said Thursday he backed the idea of a truce with Ukraine, but said he had “serious questions” about how it would be implemented that he wanted to discuss with Trump.
The Russian leader said he wanted any settlement to secure “long-term peace”, alluding to Moscow’s demand that Ukraine be barred from NATO.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday condemned Putin’s ambivalent response to the proposal as “very manipulative”, while Germany called it a “delaying tactic”.