The U.S. special envoy reported having “productive and constructive meetings” with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, which are part of the Trump administration’s continued efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“We find it encouraging that Russia is making efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, and we appreciate [the president’s] vital leadership in pursuing a sustainable and enduring peace,” .
At a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Witkoff stated that advancements had occurred, noting “many positive developments among the parties discussing the territorial agreement.”
“I believe the are now optimistic and anticipate that we will present a peace agreement in the near future,” Witkoff added.
According to Witkoff, the discussions took place on Saturday in Florida, with participants including Treasury Secretary , Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in-law), and White House senior advisor Josh Gruenbaum. Witkoff and Kushner have served as two of the principal figures in the Trump administration’s negotiations, not only for the Russia-Ukraine situation but also for other initiatives such as the Israel-Gaza peace proposal.
Earlier this month, Witkoff, Kushner, and Gruenbaum also held a meeting with Putin in Moscow, shortly following the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. After the Moscow meeting, Witkoff, Kushner, Gruenbaum, and additional U.S. officials convened with negotiators from both Ukraine and Russia. The discussions were described as constructive, even though challenges to achieving peace persisted.
“Many topics were addressed, and the constructive nature of these discussions is significant,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X. “Following the meetings conducted over these days, all parties consented to brief their respective capitals on every facet of the negotiations and to synchronize subsequent actions with their leadership.”
Almost four years since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, Ukrainians are enduring a harsh winter, with Russian attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure exacerbating the situation. Nevertheless, President announced at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that Putin had consented to a temporary cessation of strikes on Kyiv and other areas in the region suffering from severe cold.
“Due to the extremely cold weather — which they experience just as we do — I personally requested that President Putin refrain from attacking Kyiv and other municipalities for one week,” Trump stated, noting that Putin had “agreed to this request.” The president described the regional weather as “record-breaking cold.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov verified on Friday that Trump had asked Putin to halt strikes on Kyiv until February 1 “to establish favorable conditions for negotiations,” according to The Associated Press. The publication observed that it was peculiar for the Kremlin spokesperson to cite February 1, as this would indicate merely a two-day suspension. Furthermore, the AP reported that forecasts predict the cold weather will intensify after Sunday.
Witkoff, Kushner, and Gruenbaum convened with Putin in Moscow earlier this month, shortly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Subsequent to the Moscow meeting, Witkoff, Kushner, Gruenbaum, and fellow U.S. representatives met with Ukrainian and Russian negotiators. The discussions were reportedly constructive, though impediments to peace continued to exist.
“Numerous issues were discussed, and the constructive dialogue was crucial,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy . “As a result of the meetings conducted during these days, all parties agreed to report to their capitals on each negotiation aspect and to align further measures with their leaders.”
According to , Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to conduct another series of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. However, U.S. involvement in these discussions remains uncertain.