Washington D.C.: In a significant diplomatic development, Steve Witkoff, special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin appears open to pursuing a lasting peace deal with Ukraine. This statement follows a five-hour meeting between Witkoff and Putin held last Friday in St. Petersburg, as part of Trump’s renewed push to bring an end to the ongoing war, now in its third year.
Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Witkoff described the meeting as “compelling”, signaling a potential turning point in the long-standing conflict.
“I think we might be on the verge of something very important for the world”, said Witkoff. “It took a while for us to get to this place”.
Witkoff emphasized that a deal is beginning to emerge, hinting not only at a ceasefire but also at the reshaping of U.S.–Russia relations through commercial opportunities that could bring economic stability to the region.
“A possibility to reshape the Russian-United States relationship through some very compelling commercial opportunities that I think give real stability to the region too”, he added.
Trump Labels Ukraine War as “Biden’s War”
Witkoff’s remarks came shortly after Donald Trump reignited criticism of the conflict on his social media platform, Truth Social, asserting that the Ukraine war is “Biden’s war”, not mine. Trump blamed current U.S. President Joe Biden for allowing the conflict to escalate and reiterated that during his four-year presidency, such a war was effectively deterred.
“The war between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine. I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening”, Trump wrote.
“President Putin, and everyone else, respected your President! I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR, BUT AM WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO STOP”, he added.
Trump further indicated that a potential agreement involving Ukraine’s vast mineral reserves is being explored. The emerging negotiations may offer Washington access to Ukraine’s rare mineral resources in exchange for continued U.S. military and financial support—provided under Biden’s administration. The terms reportedly include royalty payments to the United States from future profits generated by Ukraine’s mining sector.
Trump Intensifies Criticism of Zelensky
In a bold critique, Trump also questioned the war strategy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, implying that the decision to confront Russia lacked foresight.
“When you start a war, you need to be sure you can win. You don’t begin a conflict with someone 20 times your size and then hope people will send you missiles”, said the former President.
As behind-the-scenes diplomacy ramps up, Witkoff’s meeting with Putin may mark a pivotal step toward de-escalation. If successful, the Trump-led peace efforts could reshape U.S. foreign policy, strengthen U.S.–Russia economic ties, and alter the dynamics of the war in Eastern Europe.
