Witkoff: Russia made immediate concessions at Alaska summit

Russia made concessions almost immediately during the summit in Alaska, marking what US Special Representative Steve Witkoff described as tangible progress toward a peaceful agreement.

Speaking to Fox News, Wtikoff said that the concessions were evident from the very first meeting and reflected Russia’s willingness to be more accommodating.

“Almost immediately at the first meeting in Alaska, the Russians made concessions. Part of obtaining these concessions was determining whether we could see that the Russians were willing to be more accommodating,” Witkoff explained.

He added that during the talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, “we actually made progress on how we can reach a peace agreement.”

Witkoff emphasised that while ceasefire agreements are fragile and “very, very easy to break because they do not include all the necessary components,” a comprehensive peace agreement is more durable.

He noted that at the Alaska meeting, President Trump recognised that many prerequisites for such an agreement were already agreed upon, raising the question of why not pursue a full-fledged peace deal. “And, of course, in this crazy world, he was criticised for it. I sat there watching it and, to be honest, I was surprised,” Witkoff added.

The summit in Alaska took place on August 15, followed by a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on August 18, which was succeeded by talks with European leaders. Later that same day, Trump contacted Putin to discuss the Zelenskyy talks, although Russia maintains that a bilateral meeting should occur first.

Several potential venues have been suggested for the summit between Zelenskyy and Putin, including Geneva, Rome, Hungary, and Doha. Switzerland has confirmed its readiness to host the meeting, and Austria has also expressed willingness to serve as a platform for negotiations.

By Tamilla Hasanova