US diplomat: Putin signals openness to lasting peace with Ukraine

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to a “permanent peace” deal with Ukraine. 

This assertion came during a TV interview following what Witkoff described as “compelling” talks with Putin in Saint Petersburg last week, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cautioned that reaching an agreement on a deal is “not easy,” while Ukraine and its European allies have urged Washington not to be misled by Moscow’s tactics of delay regarding a ceasefire.

“I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large,” Witkoff said following his meeting with the Russian leader on April 11. He acknowledged that “it took a while for us to get to this place” but expressed optimism, seeing a deal “emerging” after five hours of talks. Witkoff also highlighted the potential to “reshape” US-Russia relations through “commercial opportunities” that could bring regional stability.

The meeting marked the third encounter between Russia and the US since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, with Trump asserting that he could resolve the conflict within 24 hours. Despite diplomatic efforts, little progress has been made toward a ceasefire, despite Ukraine’s agreement to US proposals. Russia, however, has not offered significant concessions and continues to attack Ukraine. On April 13, Russia launched one of the deadliest strikes of the war on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, a move Trump described as a “mistake,” without providing further details. Both sides have accused each other of violating a US-brokered agreement to pause attacks on energy facilities. 

Despite Witkoff’s hopeful outlook, Lavrov said that agreeing on “key components” of a peace deal is “not easy,” although he acknowledged that the Trump administration is attempting to understand the conflict's “root cause,” which he blamed on “the actions of Washington and Brussels” in bringing “the current regime to power in Ukraine.” Trump, whose views have alarmed Ukraine, supported Lavrov’s perspective, claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former US President Joe Biden, and Putin were responsible for the war’s outbreak, with Putin’s forces invading Ukraine in February 2022. “There are millions of people dead because of three people,” Trump remarked, labeling Putin, Biden, and Zelenskyy as key figures in the conflict. 

He also criticised Zelenskyy’s attempts to bolster Ukraine’s defense with missiles, stating, “When you start a war, you got to know that you can win the war. You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size, and then hope that people give you some missiles.” Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have been strained since the US president’s surprising move to engage in talks with Russia in February, a move critics argue gave the Kremlin an advantage in negotiations.

By Naila Huseynova