US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine will continue on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The announcement came hours after Trump held a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff stated that discussions aimed at a ceasefire would begin in Jeddah on Sunday. The US delegation in Saudi Arabia will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. However, Witkoff did not specify who the US officials would be meeting with during the talks.
Witkoff also indicated that Russia had agreed to a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and targets in the Black Sea, expressing hope that Ukraine would agree to these terms as well. However, Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of effectively rejecting the US-backed ceasefire proposal, citing continued attacks on civilian infrastructure hours after Moscow had reportedly agreed to pause strikes on the energy grid.
Washington has been advocating for a full 30-day ceasefire as a starting point for a broader resolution to the ongoing conflict. In his 90-minute call with Trump, Putin rejected the idea of a full ceasefire unless Ukraine's allies halt all military aid. According to the Kremlin, Putin has ordered his forces to pause strikes against Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days.
Despite this, Witkoff emphasized that the proposed ceasefire also includes broader infrastructure targets, beyond just energy. He praised Putin for his role in the discussions, saying that the progress made around energy and infrastructure targets, as well as those in the Black Sea, suggests that a full ceasefire is within reach.
