Trump Envoy Says ‘Substantial Progress’ Achieved in Summit With Putin

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who participated directly in the Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Washington and Moscow made “substantial progress” toward a potential peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, though a ceasefire was not reached.

Speaking in an interview with CNN on Sunday, Witkoff, who was one of three U.S. officials in the closed-door session, described the talks as “game-changing,” citing agreements on robust security guarantees but acknowledging that the critical issue of territorial disputes remains unresolved.

Witkoff revealed that both sides agreed to security assurances that could significantly alter the trajectory of the war. “We agreed to robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing,” he said, noting that Moscow had accepted the principle of legislative enshrinement to refrain from attacking other European nations once a peace deal is codified.

He clarified that the U.S. and European allies could provide “Article 5-like” protections for Ukraine—language that would offer guarantees similar to NATO’s collective defense clause without granting Kyiv full NATO membership, a concession aimed at overcoming one of Russia’s red lines.

“This was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to such an arrangement,” Witkoff stated.

Despite Trump’s insistence ahead of the summit that he wanted to see an immediate ceasefire, Russia launched more than 60 airstrikes across Ukraine on the same night, killing at least five people and wounding 11.

Pressed on why Trump did not walk away from the meeting when Putin refused a ceasefire, Witkoff said Washington was acting as mediator and that the focus had shifted toward hammering out a comprehensive peace deal rather than an interim truce.

“The thesis of a ceasefire is that you would be discussing the very issues we already resolved in Alaska,” Witkoff argued. “We made so much progress on the other ingredients of a peace deal that the president pivoted to that place.”

One of the central obstacles remains the question of territory in eastern Ukraine. Sources told CNN that Trump had informed European leaders Putin may be willing to end the war and halt further aggression in exchange for Ukraine ceding the entire Donbass region to Russia, including areas not yet under Russian control.

Witkoff declined to confirm that exact formula, but admitted that territorial arrangements remain the crux of negotiations. “Those five regions have always been the core of the deal. The Russians made some concessions on several of them, but the issue of Donetsk requires specific discussion, which will take place when President Zelensky arrives in Washington,” he said.

The envoy emphasized that progress in Alaska was followed immediately by calls to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Trump has invited Zelenskyy to the Oval Office on Monday, just 48 hours after the summit, to continue negotiations alongside European partners.

Witkoff expressed optimism that a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy could soon take place. “We are intent on trying to hammer out a peace deal that ends the fighting permanently, very quickly—quicker than a ceasefire,” he said.

While refraining from disclosing details, Witkoff said Russia made “significant” concessions in Alaska that suggested a shift in Moscow’s negotiating posture. “We began to see some moderation in the way they are thinking about a final peace deal. That is encouraging,” he said, stressing that any final arrangement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and self-determination.

“We have to get a deal for the Ukrainians that allows for their self-determination and the protection of their sovereign borders,” Witkoff concluded.