Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, White House envoy says

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to hold a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said on March 16.

“I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have a conversation with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN after meeting Putin in Moscow on March 13, as cited by Reuters.

Witkoff has said the talks with Putin went well, and that he believes he expected the phone call between the two presidents to be "really good and positive."

"We're bridging the gap between two sides" he said.

"The four regions are of critical importance here," Witkoff said, referring to Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, which are partially or occupied by Russian troops.

Witkoff also said that the U.S. is holding discussions with Ukraine, Russia, and European allies, including France, the U.K., Finland,  and Norway.