U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that there is a “very good chance” for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war following what he described as “productive” discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
Trump mentioned that he had urged Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops who are “completely surrounded,” seemingly referring to Ukrainian forces encircled in the Kursk region—their only stronghold on Russian territory.
“We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
However, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt later clarified that Trump had not personally spoken with Putin. Instead, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had engaged in an extended meeting with the Russian leader in Moscow on Thursday night.
A source familiar with the discussion, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Witkoff had met with Putin to discuss key developments.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin used the meeting to convey “signals” to Trump through Witkoff. He added that arrangements for a direct phone call between the two leaders would be made once Witkoff had debriefed Trump.
The U.S. president has emphasized the need for a swift ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, warning that the ongoing conflict could escalate into a broader global crisis. Trump has repeatedly stressed the devastating toll of the war, calling for an urgent resolution to prevent further loss of life.
