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US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated that the American delegation aims to establish a “framework” for peace. This follows a recent public confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House, where Trump accused Ukraine of not being ready to end the war. In response, the US halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

To mend ties, Zelenskyy reportedly sent Trump a letter expressing “apology” and “gratitude,” according to Witkoff. “Hopefully, we get things back on track with the Ukrainians, and everything resumes,” he said, as reported by BBC.

The US has been pressuring Ukraine to make concessions before formal peace talks, while Zelenskyy insists on strong security guarantees for Kyiv.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, it has occupied around 20% of Ukraine’s territory. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine has always sought peace, stating, “The war continues solely because of Russia.” He urged global leaders to pressure Moscow into ending the conflict.

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His remarks also hinted at a recent truce proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron, which suggested halting air and sea attacks and stopping strikes on civilian infrastructure. Russia has not publicly responded to the plan.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow wants peace but only under terms that ensure Russia’s long-term security. “We don’t need anything that belongs to others, but we won’t give up anything that belongs to us either,” he said.

Last month, the US held preliminary peace discussions with Russia in Saudi Arabia, excluding Ukraine and European representatives. Trump has promised to end the war quickly, and his administration argues that pausing military aid is a way to push Kyiv into negotiations. However, it is unclear whether similar pressure is being placed on Moscow.

(With inputs from BBC)