Senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are set to travel to Istanbul on Thursday in a renewed attempt to negotiate peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, sources familiar with the matter confirmed. The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of military casualties.
The trip marks an effort to reignite President Donald Trump’s push to broker a ceasefire, with U.S. officials proposing a 30-day halt to hostilities across land, air, sea, and critical infrastructure. According to a senior U.S. official, Ukraine has agreed in principle to the ceasefire terms, while Russia’s position remains unclear.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated he would only attend if Russian President Vladimir Putin is also present, challenging Moscow to prove its sincerity about ending the war. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would announce its representative “as soon as the president sees fit.”
Kellogg told Fox Business that Trump is prepared to attend the talks if Putin does, suggesting a direct summit between the three leaders could rapidly advance peace. Trump, currently on a tour of the Middle East, including visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has expressed willingness to travel to Istanbul if needed.
U.S. diplomats reportedly encouraged Zelenskiy over the weekend to agree to a face-to-face meeting with Putin and to publicly confirm his willingness to negotiate. Meanwhile, European leaders have warned of coordinated sanctions with the U.S. if Russia rejects the ceasefire proposal. The EU is expected to adopt its 17th sanctions package this month and is preparing even stricter measures depending on Thursday’s outcome.
The White House and U.S. State Department have not issued comments on the planned talks.