Trump: Russia, Ukraine Close to Ceasefire Agreement

On April 26, the United States President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss the plans for a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Following the meeting, Trump stated that despite the significant differences in positions, both sides were "very close to reaching an agreement" and called for a high-level meeting between Russia and Ukraine to finalize the agreement. Trump emphasized that "most of the key points have been agreed upon" and urged for an end to the bloodshed.

Trump made these remarks after arriving in Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. He highlighted that the day was a good one for negotiations, with most of the key points already agreed upon. He also mentioned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was expected to attend the funeral but was unsure if he would be able to do so.

The Kremlin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, who attended the meeting, described it as constructive and very useful. He noted that the talks brought Russia and the United States closer on several international issues, including the Ukraine crisis. Ushakov stated that the focus of the discussions was on the possibility of resuming direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives.

Witkoff, who previously had no diplomatic experience, was a real estate billionaire before joining Trump's team in January. According to leaked documents, Witkoff's peace proposal included the formal recognition by the United States of Russia's control over Crimea and the de facto recognition of Russia's control over the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine under its military control. Zelensky had previously stated that recognizing Crimea as part of Russia would violate the Ukrainian constitution.

Trump, in an interview, stated, "Crimea will remain with Russia. Zelensky understands this, everyone understands it, and this situation has been in place for a long time." This statement underscores the complexity of the negotiations and the deep-seated issues that need to be addressed for a lasting peace agreement. The call for a high-level meeting between Russia and Ukraine is a significant step towards resolving the conflict, which has been ongoing since February 2022. The resumption of direct talks between the two nations could pave the way for a more stable and peaceful resolution to the crisis. However, the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia remains a contentious issue, and it is unclear how this will be addressed in any potential agreement. The international community will be closely watching the developments as the situation continues to unfold.