Russia has received a favourable ceasefire proposal from US President Donald Trump’s circle in coordination with European powers, according to a media report.
Polish outlet Onet reported that the Trump
side suggested Moscow declare a ceasefire with Ukraine—if not full peace—and in return, the United States would recognise Russia’s territorial gains for now. The US would also lift most sanctions against Russia and allow it to resume oil and gas exports to the European Union, as was the case before the 2022 war.
The report adds that the US wants Russia to reconsider its stance on the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance of 32 member states, primarily from Europe and North America. Washington also expects Moscow to accept continued US military aid to Ukraine.
US President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff presented a ceasefire proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on Wednesday.
According to Onet, Witkoff’s ceasefire proposal was agreed upon with European powers and delivered to Russia on behalf of the United States.
Witkoff also proposed a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but Russia did not respond to that proposal.
After Putin-Witkoff meeting, the Kremlin said that a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was set for the “coming days”. Putin has named the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a potential location for the meeting with Trump.
The summit would be the first between sitting US and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021.
Three rounds of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to yield any progress towards a ceasefire, even as Trump claims to be working hard to bring the war to an end in Ukraine, where tens of thousands have been killed since Russia launched its military offensive in February 2022.
Trump on Wednesday said he was likely to meet Putin face-to-face “very soon.” They last sat together in 2019 at the G20 summit meeting in Japan, but have spoken by phone several times since Trump returned to the White House.
