President Trump will Speak with Putin Today

Sundance reporting for CTH 

Some interesting developments in the aftermath of special envoy Steve Witkoff spending four hours in discussions with President Vladimir Putin.

After Witkoff relayed the substance of the lengthy Putin meeting, the White House and President Trump announced a phone call between Trump and Putin is scheduled for today.  The Kremlin have confirmed the call schedule.

It is important to stay focused on the factual aspects to these ongoing negotiations.  President Putin’s public statements after the Witkoff meeting essentially said Russia agrees in principle with the need for a ceasefire, and the details of coordinating a 2,000km long point of conflict need to be worked out.

Meanwhile, in somewhat of a surprise statement, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s commissioner for sanctions policy, said they are open to the removal of economic sanctions against Russia as part of a negotiated peace deal.

(Via Politico) – Western sanctions on Russia could ultimately be dropped if it helps deliver security and justice for Ukraine, Kyiv’s top sanctions official told POLITICO, as United States President Donald Trump steps up bilateral negotiations with Moscow in a bid to end the war.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s commissioner for sanctions policy, said in an interview that a return to countries doing business with Russia in one way or another is simply “a matter of time,” but had to take place under the right conditions.

Economic restrictions, embargoes and bans on importing Russian energy, he said, “have their own objectives, which might be pushing Russia to stop its aggression and to make them make a deal on lasting peace,” rather than simply being a “punishment of any kind.” (read more)