A special envoy from US President Donald Trumpcis set to visit Moscow this week “to urge Russia to sign on to the [30-day ceasefire] plan,” White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt reported.
According to Leavitt, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, will be in Moscow from March 12 to March 16. However, she did not reveal whom he would be meeting with.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
She said that the negotiations are “on the tenth yard line of peace” and that it is now “up to the Russians to agree to this plan.”
Reports from Bloomberg suggest that Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Axios also reported that he plans to arrive in Russia on March 13.
Leavitt also reported that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz had a phone conversation with “his Russian counterpart” on March 12, though she hasn’t disclosed any details of the discussion.
The visit comes as the Kremlin ponders the 30-day ceasefire plan, which was put on the table following US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah on March 11. Ukraine agreed to the proposal, leading Washington to resume intelligence sharing and security assistance.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the ceasefire proposal will be officially presented to Russia. President Trump also announced on March 12 that his representatives were “going to Russia right now.”
Ukraine’s Army Chief Vows to Hold the Line in Kursk Region ‘As Long as It’s Necessary’
Other Topics of Interest
Ukraine’s Army Chief Vows to Hold the Line in Kursk Region ‘As Long as It’s Necessary’
While reports indicate that Ukrainian troops may be retreating, there has been no official confirmation from Kyiv regarding a withdrawal from the Kursk region.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia does not want a temporary truce, arguing that NATO countries could use the break to rearm Ukraine.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Moscow is waiting for Washington to “brief them through various channels” on the outcome of US-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia before commenting on whether a proposed 30-day ceasefire is acceptable to Russia.
He did not rule out the possibility of a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, saying such a conversation could be arranged quickly if necessary.
According to sources cited by Reuters, the Kremlin is unlikely to accept the ceasefire offer. Bloomberg reported that Russia may delay any agreement to secure more favorable conditions, possibly demanding an end to Western arms shipments to Ukraine.