On “Fox News Sunday,” hosted by Shannon Bream, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff delved into the ongoing ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine. In an era marked by uncertainty, Witkoff’s insights provide a glimpse into the workings of international diplomacy under President Trump’s administration.
Bream questioned Witkoff about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions regarding peace. Witkoff asserted, “I feel that he wants peace.” Highlighting the productive discussions from the preceding week, he mentioned significant conversations between President Trump, President Zelensky, and President Putin, which he was a part of. “Lots of progress got made last week. The parties agreed to an energy infrastructure moratorium on attacks,” Witkoff detailed.
Inquiring further, Bream asked about Putin’s reputation. Witkoff responded, “You know Shannon, I met with President Putin twice at the direction of the President because everything I do is at his direction and they were, they were productive meetings.” He noted that Putin had no direct conversation with the prior administration during President Biden’s tenure, which led to a more fruitful dialogue under President Trump.
Witkoff emphasized the Trump administration’s doctrine of “peace through strength,” designed to facilitate clear communication and peace agreements. “This is at President Trump’s direction. His philosophy of peace through strength brings people to the table to clear up misconceptions and to get peace deals done,” Witkoff explained.
Bream brought up the perception of Putin as a tyrant, to which Witkoff stressed, “There are grievances on both sides, but our job and at the direction, again I stress of the President, our job is to narrow the issues, bring the parties together, and stop the killing.”
Watch:
WATCH: @SteveWitkoff says Putin “wants peace”, as U.S. officials strategize ahead of the next round of Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks.
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday)
March 23, 2025
