Trump's envoy Witkoff expects progress on Russo-Ukrainian war in coming weeks

President Trump is the ultimate decision maker, our decision maker, and President Putin, for the country of Russia, is their decision maker,

Witkoff said

I know what I heard, the body language I witnessed,

Witkoff said of his meeting with Putin

This is going to be some type of territory-for-future-security guarantees [deal] — the future status of Ukraine."

Asked about speculation that a deal might

Everybody is committed, all stakeholders, including the Europeans, to doing everything we need to do to get to a successful resolution."

He added

A permanent pathway into NATO, or permanent membership into NATO for Ukraine, is incredibly unlikely."

He added

This is a highly, very complicated situation, and yet we're bridging the gap between two sides,

he said

The two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week,

Witkoff said in an interview with CNN on Sunday

I describe my conversation with President Putin as equally positive,

Witkoff said

President Trump has been involved in every aspect and dimension of these discussions,

Witkoff said

Before this visit, there was another visit, and before that visit, the two sides were miles apart,

Witkoff told CNN host Jake Tapper

The four regions are of critical importance here,

Witkoff said of the terms of the deal

Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed to remain in contact,

the Russian foreign ministry said, with no mention of the US-suggested ceasefire

Keir Starmerprime Minister

The 'yes, but' from Russia is not good enough,

Starmer said, calling for a stop to the "barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all".

I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we're also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians,

said Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night,

Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil?"

Asked on ABC whether the U.S. would accept a peace deal in which Russia was allowed to keep stretches of eastern Ukraine that it has seized, Waltz replied ... He added

We’re going to have teams of US negotiators meeting with the Ukrainians this week. Same thing with the Russians,

Witkoff said

We can talk about what’s right and wrong. And we also have to talk about the reality of the situation on the ground. And that’s what we are doing through diplomacy, through shuttle diplomacy, through proximity talks.”

He said

It is up to Russia to end the attacks and finally make peace possible,

he tweeted

I have to say, there's quite a high likelihood that a ceasefire, even if it is achievable, won’t last,

Lord Ricketts stated

Emmanuel Macronfrench President

This is a moment of truth because if Russia does not sincerely commit to peace, President Trump will toughen sanctions and retaliation, and so that will completely change the dynamic,

Macron told French regional papers in an interview posted late Saturday