Trump, Putin Expected to Speak This Week About Ukraine Cease-Fire Push, White House Envoy Says

President Trump is likely to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone this week as the U.S. push to end the Russia-Ukraine war accelerates, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday.

Mr. Witkoff, who met with Mr. Putin in Moscow last week, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that the U.S. is in communication with all sides, including Russia, Ukraine and other European powers, about a potential cease-fire deal.

Mr. Witkoff said the U.S. and Russia have gotten closer in their positions in recent days, despite Mr. Putin’s reluctance to embrace the 30-day cease-fire agreed to by the U.S. and Ukraine after high-level delegations from those two nations met in Saudi Arabia last week.

“The two sides are today a lot closer,” Mr. Witkoff said, referring to the U.S. and Russia. “The two sides, we’ve narrowed the differences between them and now we’re sitting at the table.”

“I think President Trump is involved in every aspect and dimension of these discussions,” he said. “The president is getting updates in real time on everything that’s happening and he’s involved in every important decision here.” (Read more from “Trump, Putin Expected to Speak This Week About Ukraine Cease-Fire Push, White House Envoy Says” HERE)