The United States believes that potential economic partnership with the US could become an incentive for Russia to end the war it has launched against Ukraine.

Source: White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a briefing on 15 April, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Leavitt was asked to comment on the recent meeting between Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and the prospects of a "peace agreement".

She stated that a "productive conversation" took place between the parties and that Witkoff and Trump believe "that Russia wants to end this war".

"There is an incentive for Russia to end this war and perhaps that could be economic partnerships with the United States. But we need to see a ceasefire first and the president and the presidential envoy, Witkoff, made that very clear to the Russians," Leavitt added.

Background : 

• Witkoff himself earlier described his talks with Putin as "compelling" and mentioned "five territories" as the focal point of the negotiations.
• Reacting to these remarks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine is a sovereign state and only the Ukrainian people can speak about its territories.
• Meanwhile, according to The Wall Street Journal, several advisers to US President Donald Trump are urging him to treat Moscow's statements about its desire for peace with Ukraine cautiously, emphasising that Putin has yet to demonstrate a genuine intention to end the fighting.

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