Push to develop a framework for peace following a highly publicized falling out between leaders of the two nations.
The United States and Ukraine are coordinating a meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss the initial terms of a cease-fire framework to halt the fighting between Moscow and Kyiv.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East, told reporters at the White House on March 6 that President Donald Trump had received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing a willingness to lay out the initial terms of a cease-fire with Russia.
“I think the president thought that it was a really good, positive first step, and from that … we’re now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians … and I think the idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial cease-fire as well,” Witkoff said.
The news follows a highly-publicized fallout between Washington and Kyiv late last month in which Trump accused Zelenskyy of not expressing enough gratitude for American support and suggested Ukraine should be willing to make more concessions to Russia to achieve peace.
Trump followed that meeting with a decision earlier this week to halt all assistance to Ukraine, including the sharing of intelligence which has assisted Ukraine’s ability to track Russian troop movements.
Witkoff said that Zelenskyy’s letter to Trump had satisfied the American leader’s desire for an apology and display of gratitude and that intelligence sharing might resume after the meeting.
“There was an apology, there was an acknowledgment that the United States has done so much for the country of Ukraine, and a sense of gratitude,” Witkoff said.
“I would think at some point … hopefully we get things back on track with the Ukrainians and everything resumes,” he added.
Witkoff said that the meeting is expected to take place next week and that national security adviser Mike Waltz is currently leading discussions about who will form the primary diplomatic team to carry out the talks.
Official designees to handle diplomacy with Ukraine and Russia throughout the peace process, he added, would be announced to Moscow and Kyiv.
Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy have long simmered owing to the two leaders’ differing perspectives on how to bring about an end to Russia’s invasion.
Trump has pressed Ukraine to accept a cease-fire without security guarantees from the United States and to sign a deal granting Washington access to vast stores of rare earth metals in exchange for continued security assistance.
Zelenskyy has said that Kyiv would need assurances from the United States and Europe that the unoccupied part of Ukraine would be defended during peace talks, and not simply allow Russia time to regroup its forces in preparation for another assault.
European leaders have since turbo-charged a previous plan that would see the continent raise defense spending by more than $800 billion in the next decade, and have pressured Zelesnkyy to make right with the United States to ensure it maintains access to key security items that only Washington can provide.
To that end, European leaders have tentatively endorsed Zelenskyy’s recent proposal to temporarily halt the fighting in the air and sea domains.
Under that proposal, British and French troops would deploy to Ukraine during a second cease-fire phase following the end of hostilities to ensure the peace.
Witkoff told reporters on March 6 that Trump believed Zelenskyy was earnest in his desire to work towards a peace deal, and that there was a path forward to doing so.
“The president has said that there’s a path back and President Zelenskyy has demonstrated that he’s intent on that good faith path back,” Witkoff said.
“He’s apologized, he said he’s grateful. He said that he wants to work toward peace.”