The US has a better understanding of the conditions under which Russia would be prepared to end its war in Ukraine after President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
"For the first time perhaps since this administration began, we have some concrete examples of the kinds of things that Russia would ask for in order to end the war," Rubio said on Wednesday in an interview with Fox Business Network's "Kudlow," adding that the key elements of any agreement would involve territory.
Earlier, the White House said that President Donald Trump could meet as early as next week with Vladimir Putin following what the US president described as "highly productive" talks in Moscow between his special envoy and the Russian leader.
The potential summit was discussed in a call between Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy that, according to a senior source in Kiev, included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the leaders of Britain, Germany and Finland.
"The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
"President Trump wants this brutal war to end."
The New York Times and CNN, citing people familiar with the plan, said Trump plans to sit down with Putin as early as next week, and then wants a three-way meeting with the Russian leader and Zelenskyy.
The phone call came after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian leadership in Moscow earlier in the day for talks described by the Kremlin as "productive" — with Trump's deadline looming to impose fresh sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine.
"Great progress was made!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that afterwards he had briefed some European allies.
"Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," he said.
Minutes later, however, a senior US official said that "secondary sanctions" were still expected to be implemented in two days' time.
Sanctions threat
Trump has voiced increasing frustration with Putin in recent weeks over the war.
The White House has not officially outlined what action it would take against Russia, but Trump has previously threatened to impose "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's key trade partners, such as China and India.
On Wednesday, Trump ordered steeper tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil.
The move would aim to stifle Russian exports, but would risk significant international disruption.
Trump said on Tuesday he would await the outcome of the Moscow talks before ordering any economic sanctions.
"We're going to see what happens," he told reporters. "We'll make that determination at that time."
Without explicitly naming Trump, the Kremlin on Tuesday slammed "threats" to hike tariffs on Russia's trading partners as "illegitimate."
