Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Russia seemed "more inclined" to a ceasefire, but warned that details of any potential deal are crucial and neither Ukraine nor the U.S. should be deceived by Moscow, News.Az reports citing CNBC.
The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump reported that his special envoy Steve Witkoff’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Wednesday had delivered "great progress," though Trump provided no specific details about the discussions.
Following Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, Zelenskiy participated in a call with Trump that included European allies.
"Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need a lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the war that it itself started," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
Trump has recently shown frustration with Putin and set a Friday deadline for Russia to make peace with Ukraine or face stricter sanctions. While Trump praised Witkoff’s visit as highly productive, a White House official indicated that secondary sanctions against countries doing business with Russia are still expected to be implemented on Friday.
The U.S. administration signed an executive order on Wednesday introducing additional 25% tariffs on India for Russian oil imports.
"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.," Zelenskiy added.
