US envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin at the Kremlin sparks renewed hopes for peace in the Ukraine conflict, with escalating military actions leading to increased urgency.
**Witkoff Meets Putin as Urgent Ceasefire Deadline Approaches**
**Witkoff Meets Putin as Urgent Ceasefire Deadline Approaches**
Diplomatic discussions aim to ease tensions amidst impending US sanctions.
In a significant diplomatic engagement, US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, according to Russian media reports. This meeting takes place as the deadline set by former US President Donald Trump for a potential ceasefire in Ukraine approaches. Trump has warned that if Russia fails to take steps to conclude what he termed the "horrible war," it could face severe sanctions, including secondary penalties on nations that continue to trade with it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed skepticism regarding Russia's willingness to pursue peace, suggesting that meaningful negotiations would only materialize if Russia's financial resources begin to dwindle. He welcomed the prospect of intensified US sanctions and tariffs targeting nations buying Russian oil. Images from the Kremlin showed a cordial encounter between Witkoff and Putin, although expectations for a breakthrough agreement by Friday remain low, as Russia has intensified its air assaults on Ukraine in recent days.
Before assuming office, Trump had projected confidence in his ability to quickly resolve the conflict, but his stance has hardened over time. He remarked on the complexities of the situation after previous attempts at peace have repeatedly failed, citing recent attacks by Russian forces on civilian areas in Ukraine.
Attempts for negotiation in Istanbul have not yielded tangible results since the onset of the full invasion by Moscow three and a half years prior, with Kyiv and its Western allies rejecting Moscow's conditions for a cessation of hostilities. Moreover, the Kremlin has neglected requests for direct discussions between Zelensky and Putin.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the Biden administration recently approved an additional $200 million in military support for Ukraine, which Zelensky discussed with Trump in a recent phone call focusing on defense measures and advancements in drone technology. Ukrainian forces have been employing drones to target Russian energy resources, while Russia continues its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian urban centers. Tragically, a recent airstrike in Kyiv led to a casualty count of 32 following the tragic death of an injured individual, marking this attack as one of the deadliest since the invasion began. Ukrainian officials also reported fatalities and injuries from a Russian assault on a vacation site in the central Zaporizhzhia region, labeling such aggressive actions as merely cruel tactics designed to instill fear among civilians.
