Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to allow “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine from the US as part of a potential peace deal during his summit with President Donald Trump on Friday, top envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN today.
Zelensky’s visit to US: Witkoff’s comments come the day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with Trump at the White House, flanked by a host of European leaders, including those from Germany, France and the UK.
Meanwhile, in Europe: Zelensky appeared in Brussels today with the president of the European Commission, who also emphasized the need to fortify Ukraine with security guarantees.
Trump’s reversal: In Brussels, Zelensky insisted that Putin must first “stop the killing” in Ukraine before a full peace agreement can be reached. This comes after Trump shifted positions in recent days, saying he is focused directly on securing a peace deal, rather than starting with a ceasefire. This appears to align with Putin’s aims in the region.