Witkoff fails to convince Putin – he demands 4 regions of Ukraine, Bloomberg reports

According to the outlet, US President’s special representative Steve Witkoff tried to persuade Putin to agree to a ceasefire along the current front line during lengthy talks at the Kremlin on Friday, April 25.

However, the Russian President is sticking to his previously stated position and wants full control over four Ukrainian regions that Russia has not yet fully occupied as part of any agreement to end the war. This was reported to Bloomberg by three sources in Moscow familiar with the course of the negotiations.

This demand has dealt a blow to US President Donald Trump’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire and bring the war to an end, the outlet adds. According to one of the sources, the talks have currently reached an impasse, and further progress is possible only through direct involvement of both Putin and Trump.

Trump’s team declined to comment on the talks between Witkoff and Putin.

"We do not comment on ongoing deliberations. We continue to make progress with both Ukraine and Russia to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution," said James Hewitt, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council.

Putin–Witkoff meeting

US President’s special representative Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting on Friday, April 25.

Following the meeting, Putin’s office confirmed that it took place at the Kremlin. The two reportedly held a three-hour conversation, which was described as “constructive and quite useful.”

According to Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, Witkoff and Putin discussed the "Ukrainian crisis," specifically "the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine."

The US President’s special representative had already met with Putin earlier, on April 11. That meeting reportedly lasted nearly five hours.

After the meeting with the Russian President, Witkoff stated that the key to the so-called peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine lies in the issue of "five territories."

US threats

Amid the ineffective negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated that the United States may withdraw from the peace process if no chances for a swift agreement between Ukraine and Russia arise in the near future.

Later, US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US could indeed cease its participation in the talks if one of the sides obstructs peace.

Recently, the American president also mentioned that the next few days will be crucial for negotiations regarding the resolution of the war in Ukraine. The US is exerting "great pressure on Russia" to reach a peace agreement.

However, in Europe, according to the Financial Times, there is growing concern that Trump may soon withdraw from the peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, using minimal progress as justification.