US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held 'productive' talks with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida, expressing optimism about Russia's willingness to work toward peace in Ukraine and crediting President Trump's leadership.
US, Russia hold 'constructive' talks
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday (local time) held "productive and constructive" talks with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a "peaceful resolution" to the Ukraine conflict, which is nearing its fourth year since the invasion in 2022.
In a post on X, Witkoff expressed optimism following the discussions, noting that the meeting indicated Russia's willingness to work toward securing peace in Ukraine, and also thanked US President Donald Trump for his "leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace".
"Today in Florida, the Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held productive and constructive meetings as part of the U.S. mediation effort toward advancing a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict," Witkoff stated in his post.
"We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for POTUS's critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace," the special envoy added.
Along with Witkoff, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Advisor Josh Gruenbaum were present at the meeting representing the American side.
The talks form part of continued US-led diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine through dialogue and negotiation, focusing on measures that could ensure long-term stability and security in the region.
Trump on peace efforts
Earlier on Friday, Trump noted that progress was being made toward ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while acknowledging that strained relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to make peace efforts "difficult".
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, "Zelenskyy and Putin hate each other, and it makes it very difficult. But I think we're getting very close to getting a settlement."
"I think that we have a good chance of getting it settled," the US President added.
Trump's remarks came a day after he disclosed that he had recently spoken with Putin and requested a temporary halt to attacks on Kyiv and other cities amid extreme winter conditions for a week.
"I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. "It was very nice. A lot of people said, 'Don't waste the call; you're not going to get that.' And he did it," he added.
Explaining the context of his request, Trump cited unusually harsh weather affecting the region and compared it to a cold snap in Washington.
Next round of talks
According to Al Jazeera, Saturday's discussions precede a second round of talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators, facilitated by US mediators, to deliberate on a US-supported plan to end the conflict in Ukraine.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)