OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:32 PM – Sunday, March 16, 2025
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff stated that he expects President Donald Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week as the two world leaders look to iron out a peace deal.
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The announcement follows after President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed on a 30-day ceasefire deal, paving the way towards a lasting peace arrangement.
The immediate focus is to now get Putin on board to the agreed ceasefire deal, with President Trump optimistically stating on Friday that there is a “very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end.”
In a show of good faith, Putin stated that he would honor President Trump’s request to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops who surrender, while expressing “cautious optimism” that a deal could be reached.
Zelensky revealed the details of the ceasefire agreement he accepted last Tuesday in an X post.
Zelensky stated that the U.S. proposed “a 30-day full interim ceasefire, not only stopping missile, drone, and bomb attacks, not only in the Black Sea, but also along the entire front line.”
“Ukraine is ready to accept this proposal—we see it as a positive step and are ready to take it. Now, it is up to the United States to convince Russia to do the same. If Russia agrees, the ceasefire will take effect immediately,” he added.
Zelensky also alleged that Putin is attempting to “prolong the war” by reportedly stacking Russian troops along Ukraine’s Sumy region.
“This indicated an intention to attack,” Zelensky stated. “We are aware of this, and will counter it. I would like all partners to understand exactly what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for and what he will be ignoring.”
“The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy,” Zelensky added. “It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war. We are ready to provide our partners with all the real information on the situation at the front, in the Kursk region and along our border.”
Meanwhile, Witkoff stated that recent discussions with Putin were “positive,” although declining to dig into specifics.
Witkoff stated that President Trump is “involved with every important decision here and I expect that there will be a call between the [US and Russian] presidents this week.”
“As the president said, he really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, and I believe that’s the case,” he continued.
Witkoff’s delicate diplomatic role involves providing “security guarantees” for Ukraine, while also appeasing Russia’s concerns, including the addition of NATO membership for Ukraine, which is a major concern for Russia and one of the stated main factors in the war breaking out to begin with.
Waltz called Ukrainian entry into NATO “incredibly unlikely.”
“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 added.
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