U.S. President Donald Trump insists that Moscow and Kiev should hold direct negotiations, Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said, warning that Washington will otherwise walk away.
"The president has issued an ultimatum to both sides that without those direct talks and if they don’t occur quickly, then he believes the United States ought to step back from this conflict whatever that means and just not be involved," Steve Witkoff said.
According to him, if direct talks between Russia and Ukraine bring any result, there will be "a strong chance to getting an end to this conflict."
Trump’s special envoy commented on his engagement with both Russian and Ukrainian officials.
"I've talked to both sides because how can you be involved in mediating or crafting solutions unless you're talking to everybody," Steve Witkoff said.
Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the small hours of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the Kiev authorities to launch a dialogue on May 15 in Istanbul.
