US envoy suggests Ukraine-Russia peace deal is close

The United States is reportedly nearing a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, according to Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East. He said that any potential deal would require both territorial and economic concessions from both sides.

"You will see concessions from both sides. And this is what the president does best. He brings people together. He makes them understand that the path to peace is through concessions and reaching a consensus," Vitkoff said on Feb. 23.

He also suggested that the 2022 Istanbul agreements could serve as the foundation for a future peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia.

The Istanbul agreements between Ukraine and Russia in 2022 refer to a series of negotiations held in Istanbul, Turkey in late March 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The produced communique outlined potential terms for a peace agreement including Ukraine adopting a neutral status and abandoning NATO aspirations, limits on Ukraine's military forces, Western security guarantees for Ukraine, negotiation of Crimea's status over 10-15 years, and allowing Ukraine to apply for EU membership.

While these negotiations were seen as a potential breakthrough, with both sides reportedly considering significant concessions, they did not result in a final agreement and were halted in May 2022.

Vitkoff linked the ongoing war to discussions about Ukraine’s possible NATO membership, which he claimed Russia perceived as a threat. His remarks contrast with the position of the previous U.S. administration, which viewed Russia’s full-scale invasion as unprovoked aggression.

U.S. President Donald Trump said a new phase of ceasefire negotiations between American and Russian delegations aimed to stop Russia's war against Ukraine would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 25.

This meeting follows the first round of discussions held in the same city earlier in the week. No Ukrainian officials were present at the Saudi negotiations.

Following the initial meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined three main objectives both sides had agreed to pursue. These include restoring embassy staff in Washington and Moscow, creating a high-level team to facilitate Ukraine peace talks, and exploring ways to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.