Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin harbors a degree of fear towards former President Donald Trump, suggesting that this could be leveraged in peace negotiations. In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Zelenskyy recounted a phone conversation with Trump where he conveyed this sentiment. Zelenskyy emphasized his distrust of Putin, cautioning against accepting mere words about a ceasefire. He underscored the importance of "real steps" and "concrete actions" in any peace process.

Zelenskyy's remarks follow Trump's announcement that Putin had agreed to commence peace talks. Trump appointed a team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, to spearhead these negotiations.

While Zelenskyy expressed trust in Trump's leadership, he firmly stated that any agreement must involve direct Ukrainian participation. He insisted on a "real meeting" with "concrete steps" and a shared plan involving allies and Russia to halt the ongoing conflict. Zelenskyy categorically rejected any U.S.-Russia deal that excludes Ukraine, emphasizing that the war's impact, including human losses, is borne by Ukrainians.

He reiterated that no world leader can forge an agreement concerning Ukraine without Ukraine's direct involvement.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff, appearing on Fox News, indicated that he and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz were traveling to Saudi Arabia to initiate negotiations aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.