Advertisement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Russia appears more open to discussing a possible ceasefire, but he cautioned that the fine details of any deal will be crucial. Speaking firmly, Zelenskiy warned that neither Ukraine nor the United States should be fooled by Russia’s intentions, urging both countries to stay alert as negotiations develop.
His statement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Trump described the conversation as having delivered “great progress,” although he did not provide any specific details on what was discussed or agreed upon.
Following Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, President Zelenskiy joined a conference call with Trump and several European allies to discuss the situation. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskiy reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and stressed the need for a “lasting and reliable peace.” He added, “Russia must end the war that it itself started,” emphasising that any agreement must lead to a real and permanent resolution to the conflict.
President Trump has recently become increasingly frustrated with Russia’s resistance to ending the war. In response, he has reportedly given Russia a Friday deadline to make concrete progress toward peace. If Russia fails to comply, harsher sanctions will be imposed, according to Trump. Despite calling Witkoff’s meeting “highly productive,” the U.S. administration is still moving forward with plans to increase economic pressure on Russia.
One of the major steps taken includes an executive order signed on Wednesday, which places a 25% tariff on India for its continued import of Russian oil. This is part of a broader strategy to cut off Russia’s revenue streams by targeting countries that continue to engage in energy trade with Moscow.
A White House official confirmed that secondary sanctions, which would penalise foreign entities doing business with Russia, are also expected to come into effect on Friday, further intensifying the economic pressure.
Zelenskiy concluded his message with a strong warning: “The pressure on Russia works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details, neither us nor the U.S.” His comments reflect deep concern that Russia might agree to surface-level peace terms while continuing to pursue its own goals behind the scenes.