The fastest way to peace is the recognition of new Russian territories — Witkoff

After a meeting with the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation Kirill Dmitriev in In Washington last week, the US leader's envoy Steve Witkoff told Donald Trump that the fastest way to a peace agreement is to recognize the Russian status of four Ukrainian regions — Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson. It is reported by Reuters, citing sources.

"Less than 48 hours after a dinner with a negotiator sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Washington Last week, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, sat down with President Donald Trump at the White House and delivered a clear message. According to Witkoff, the fastest way to achieve a cease-fire on Ukraine needs to support a strategy that would give Russia ownership of four Eastern Ukrainian regions," according to a Reuters publication, a fragment of which is quoted by Strana.

At the same meeting with Trump, the special representative of the US president at In Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg spoke out against Witkoff's idea. He said that Kiev, although ready to negotiate on certain conditions relating to the disputed territories, would never agree to unilaterally transfer full ownership of them to Russia, the agency reports.

It is noted that the above meeting ended without Trump making a decision on a new US strategy.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters sources, the contradictions in the approaches to the conditions for the end of the Ukrainian conflict between Kellogg and Witkoff are deepening.

Steve Witkoff is currently negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting has been going on for more than three hours, it takes place in St. Petersburg.