The US has made “tremendous progress” in settling the conflict during talks with Russia, Steve Witkoff has told Tucker Carlson
The US has achieved significant progress in negotiations with Russia aimed at settling the Ukraine conflict, Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, has told American journalist Tucker Carlson.
In an hour-and-a-half interview released Friday, the envoy signaled that Ukraine has apparently agreed to stay out of NATO – one of Moscow’s key demands in the conflict – with the key issue being the fate of former Ukrainian territories that voted overwhelmingly to join Russia.
Here are the key takeaways from the interview.
Prospects for a lasting ceasefire
The Trump administration has “made more progress in Russia in this Russian-Ukraine conflict in the last eight weeks than anyone thought we would ever make,” Witkoff claimed, referring in particular to his recent visit to Moscow.
According to the diplomat, the talks focused on “an ultimate ceasefire,” with one of the key topics being the Ukrainian troops surrounded in the border region of Kursk. “The Russians have taken it [Kursk Region] back. They’ve got people trapped there and the president doesn’t want to see everybody getting killed. That’s a significant battlefield condition that has to be dealt with.”
Witkoff said, “we’re not far away” from a 30-day ceasefire, but cautioned that the sides have to reach agreements on dozens of separate battlefield situations across the front, adding that Russian and US teams will meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia starting on Monday to discuss a number of issues.
’Elephant in the room’
The biggest issue in the Ukraine conflict is that of Crimea and four other regions that voted to join Russia in 2014 and 2022, respectively, Witkoff said. “They’re Russian speaking. There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule,” he said.
The diplomat described the territorial dispute between Moscow and Kiev as the “elephant in the room” that “no one wants to talk about.” The problem is compounded by constitutional issues within Ukraine regarding the possibility of ceding territory, with questions lingering about the international recognition of the new reality on the ground, and Vladimir Zelensky’s political future, Witkoff said.
Nevertheless, the Trump envoy claimed that “we’re having a very, very positive conversation” on the topic.
Ukraine NATO membership off the table
Witkoff reiterated that he believes “it’s largely accepted” that “if there’s going to be a peace deal, Ukraine cannot be a member of NATO,” adding that this sentiment is shared by Zelensky and Andrey Yermak, his influential chief of staff.
Election in Ukraine
Asked whether Ukraine will hold a new election, Witkoff replied in the affirmative, without providing further details or a timeline. “Yes. There will be. They’ve agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine,” he said, arguing that Zelensky ended up “in a very difficult position” because he faces a powerful adversary.
Zelensky’s presidential term expired last May, but he has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Russia deems him “illegitimate,” insisting that the only legal authority now lies with the Ukrainian parliament until a new vote is held.
Russia ‘100%’ doesn’t want to attack Europe
Russia has no desire to invade other European countries, Witkoff said, rejecting the notion that “the Russians are going to march across Europe” as “preposterous.” He explained that the continent’s security is to a large extent guaranteed by NATO, which did not exist during World War II.
Putin prayed for Trump
Witkoff noted that Putin told him he prayed for Trump after he narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July. The Russian leader said he “went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed for the president – not because he could become the president of the United States, but because he had a friendship with him and he was praying for his friend,” the envoy recounted.
He added that his recent visit to Moscow “got personal.” “President Putin had commissioned a beautiful portrait of President Trump from the leading Russian artist and actually gave it to me and asked me to take it home to President Trump, which I brought home and delivered to him.”
