March 27, 2025 - Ceasefire negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war will resume on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
In an interview with Fox News following Trump’s extended phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Witkoff confirmed that ceasefire discussions “will begin on Sunday in Jeddah.”
He stated that the US delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, would attend but did not specify which parties they would be engaging with.
Regarding a ceasefire covering energy infrastructure and Black Sea targets, Witkoff noted, “I believe both of these are now agreed upon by the Russians. I remain hopeful that the Ukrainians will also agree.”
On Wednesday, Ukraine accused Russia of effectively dismissing the US-backed ceasefire proposal, citing renewed strikes on civilian infrastructure just hours after Moscow agreed only to pause attacks on the energy grid.
Washington has been advocating for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire as an initial step toward resolving the three-year-long conflict.
During a 90-minute call with Trump on Tuesday, Putin declined this proposal, conditioning any agreement on the cessation of military aid to Ukraine by its allies.
According to the Kremlin, Putin has already directed his military to suspend strikes on Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days.
Witkoff, however, reaffirmed that the ceasefire proposal encompasses “energy and infrastructure in general.”
Trump’s envoy praised Putin “for all he did today on that call to move his country closer to a final peace deal.”
Witkoff expressed confidence that with agreement on energy and infrastructure targets, as well as those in the Black Sea, “it’s a relatively short distance to a full ceasefire from there.”