Trump camp comments on whether Putin wants to end war in Ukraine
Photo: US president’s special representative Steve Witkoff (Getty Images)
Trump’s special representative, Steve Witkoff, said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had expressed a desire to end the war in Ukraine, according to the official’s interview with Fox News.
When asked whether Vladimir Putin had told him at the Alaska summit that he wanted peace and was ready to end the war, Trump’s special representative Steve Witkoff responded:
"Absolutely. There’s a peace proposal on the table. He made that clear, and we hope he sticks to it."
Pressed by the host on critics’ claims that "Putin is just playing you," Witkoff replied:
"I think he made a genuine effort to push for dialogue. He showed that in Alaska. This is a very complicated conflict, but the president is determined to bring it to an end."
Witkoff added that he believes any peace agreement will require Putin’s personal presence at the negotiating table.
"At the Alaska summit, President Putin basically admitted that this war would never have happened if President Trump had been in office," Witkoff said.
Zelenskyy–Putin summit
US president Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, where they discussed ways to end the war in Ukraine.
The next stage of the peace process took place in Washington on August 18, when Trump hosted EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and the broader negotiation agenda.
Following the summit, Trump began preparing a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. The White House had hoped to hold it on August 22, but it did not take place due to Moscow’s stance.
Amid security concerns, European diplomats are now working to identify the most viable venue for a summit between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
US Vice President JD Vance has said he expects the war could be ended within three to six months.
