US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that American negotiators are heading to Moscow this week to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine war. The US is pushing for Russia to agree to an unconditional halt in hostilities, while the Kremlin has stated it is reviewing a US-Ukrainian proposal but has not signaled its willingness to accept a truce.
Trump revealed that a delegation was already on its way to Russia, expressing hope that a ceasefire agreement could be reached. “People are going to Russia right now as we speak. And hopefully, we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office. The White House confirmed that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has also mediated in the Gaza conflict, would be in Moscow for negotiations.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his country’s readiness for a deal, the Kremlin has yet to respond definitively. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington expects an unconditional agreement from Moscow, stating, “If their response is ‘yes,’ then we know we’ve made real progress. If their response is ‘no,’ it would be highly unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, European leaders, including the defense ministers of France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Poland, recently met in Paris to discuss ways to support Ukraine and explore ceasefire options. However, Russia has previously dismissed the idea of a temporary ceasefire, with its foreign ministry calling it “unacceptable.”
Trump also warned of potential “devastating” economic sanctions if Russia refuses to engage in negotiations but expressed optimism that such measures would not be necessary. “I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace,” he said.
As part of the ongoing US-Ukraine talks, Washington has agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. In return, Ukraine has indicated its openness to a mediated 30-day ceasefire deal, raising hopes for a possible breakthrough in the conflict.