Steve Witkoff, US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, has stated that Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to both Ukraine and Russia, warning that unless progress is made in peace talks, the United States will withdraw from efforts to reach a settlement to end the war.

Source: Breitbart News

Quote: "The president has issued an ultimatum to both sides that without those direct talks and if they don’t occur quickly, then he believes the United States ought to step back from this conflict whatever that means and just not be involved." 

Details: Witkoff noted that this is not America’s war, but the US wants to help bring it to an end. "The way that that happens is a ceasefire — everybody stops the violence, and we spend a bit of time together making sure we can deal with the major issues here and I think that we can," he added.

Background:

• In a nighttime statement on 11 May, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin did not mention a 30-day ceasefire but said he was ready for "direct talks" with Kyiv in Istanbul on Thursday 15 May.
• On 11 May, US President Donald Trump publicly called on Ukraine to accept Russia's proposal for direct negotiations in Istanbul on 15 May, despite the Kremlin's refusal to agree to the 30-day ceasefire demanded by Kyiv and its Western allies.
• Zelenskyy reaffirmed on the evening of 11 May that Ukraine expects a full and lasting ceasefire from Russia starting on 12 May and declared that he will personally be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on 15 May for potential peace talks.
• Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has expressed doubt that the Russian side has even a fraction of the courage shown by President Zelenskyy, who has offered Putin a face-to-face meeting in Türkiye.

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