Donald Trump revealed in a post on the Truth Social platform that he had communicated with Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

The White House later clarified that the American president was referring to a meeting between Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart, which had already been disclosed earlier by Dmitry Peskov.

Trump emphasized that he had asked Putin not to attack Ukrainian soldiers who are surrounded—though he did not specify further, the Republican was apparently referring to recent developments in Kursk.

Donald Trump revealed in a Truth Social post that he had “very good and productive discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. He expressed hope that “there is a very good chance this terrible, bloody war may finally come to an end.”

However, Trump also raised concerns about the current situation, stating that “thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are completely surrounded by the Russian military, in a very bad and vulnerable position.” He strongly urged Putin to spare their lives, warning that “this would be a horrific massacre, unlike anything seen since World War II.” Trump concluded his post with, “God bless them all!”
Cautious Optimism from Michael Waltz

Washington’s National Security Advisor, Michael Waltz, also expressed “some cautious optimism” regarding a possible ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. This comes after a meeting in Moscow between Steve Witkoff and the Russian president.

“We have some cautious optimism,” Waltz said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday night when asked about the potential for a ceasefire agreement. He acknowledged that “both sides will have their demands, and naturally, both will need to make compromises. Shuttle diplomacy—going back and forth—is happening.”

Waltz further explained that Witkoff is currently in discussions following the meeting, bringing back key information for Trump to evaluate and decide on the next steps. “I spoke with my counterpart, Special Envoy Witkoff. He is out there gathering information and bringing it back for us to assess so President Trump can make decisions on the next steps,” Waltz added.
Putin’s Meeting with Witkoff at the Kremlin

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Vladimir Putin met with Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, late Thursday night.

“Witkoff was here yesterday. He was received by President Putin late last night,” Peskov told reporters. He added that during this meeting, Putin sent a message to Trump regarding the proposed ceasefire plan for Ukraine.

On the issue of a peaceful resolution, Peskov emphasized that Putin supports Trump’s position on the Ukraine conflict but has raised certain questions that need to be addressed jointly.

“You heard a very important statement from President Putin yesterday. Responding to journalists, he said he supports President Trump’s position on resolving the conflict, but he also raised some questions that need to be jointly answered,” Peskov stated.

He added that while much remains to be done, Putin expressed solidarity with Trump’s stance on the matter. “There are reasons for cautious optimism regarding a resolution in Ukraine,” Peskov said. He also noted that the timeline for a highly anticipated conversation between Trump and Putin will depend on when Witkoff delivers Putin’s message to Trump.

“The exact timing of the conversation between the two presidents has not yet been agreed upon,” Peskov clarified. “Once Mr. Witkoff conveys all the information he received in Moscow to his head of state, then we will decide on the timing of the discussion.”

Finally, Peskov underscored the importance of direct communication between Trump and Putin, saying, “There is an understanding on both sides that such a discussion (between the leaders of Russia and the United States) is necessary.”