WASHINGTON
Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, will travel to Russia this week for negotiations with President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
"We feel again, we're hopefully moving in the right direction. And the special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will be heading to Russia again later this week to continue talks with Vladimir Putin," spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Trump said Monday there is a “very good chance” that Russia and Ukraine could reach a deal this week to end the more than three-year-long war.
Asked about comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the US could step back from negotiations if there is not sufficient progress, Leavitt said, "I think it would be unwise for me to broadcast that from this podium."
"Ultimately, that's a decision for the president to make, but he's made it very clear he wants to see peace. He wants to see this war end, and he wants to stop the killing on both sides of this war, and he's been very clear about that for quite some time, and he has grown frustrated with both sides of this war, and he's made that very known," she said.
