Donald Trump’s special envoy says he expects the presidents of the US and Russia to speak at some stage over the next week. Steve Witkoff said Trump is „is involved in every aspect and dimension of [peace] discussions“.
false,Sunday 16 March 2025 14:57, UK
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The chances of Vladimir Putin entering peace negotiations are „abysmal“, according to the Finnish president.
Alexander Stubb said Putin „doesn’t want a ceasefire“ and „doesn’t want peace“.
„His original aim was basically to destroy the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Basically to have Ukraine ceasing to exist,“ he told the BBC.
„He hasn’t changed his aim and this is what all of us around the table have to understand.“
When asked about the Russian president’s willingness to enter peace talks, he said: „I think the chances are abysmal.“
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says the US leader will have a telephone call with Vladimir Putin this week.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Witkoff said Trump is „is involved in every aspect and dimension of discussions“.
Witkoff, who had a meeting with Putin on Thursday, said the talk was „positive“.
He said the US is „in discussions“ with both European countries and Russia about the four regions of Ukraine that Russia claims.
I expect that there’ll be a call with both presidents this week,“ Witkoff added.
Plans for a peacekeeping force of more than 10,000 troops were made at yesterday’s „coalition of the willing“ virtual meeting, it is being reported.
Citing senior government sources, the Sunday Times says that „considerably more“ than the three countries who initially offered to supply troops have backed Sir Keir Starmer’s plan.
The majority of the troop force is still expected to come from Britain and France, however.
The newspaper quoted a military source as saying that the size of the force would be „comfortably north of 10,000“.
A bit more from retired senior diplomat Lord Peter Ricketts. who spoke to Sky News‘ Trevor Phillips earlier.
Lord Ricketts warned that fighting in Ukraine could continue for another year, as peace negotiations drag on.
When asked what the best possible endgame was for the war in Ukraine, he said it would end with Kyiv’s independence and the freedom to join NATO if it wanted.
However, „realistically“, he said Ukraine would likely not reclaim all of its territory.
He added: „I have to say, there’s quite a high likelihood that a ceasefire, even it can be achieved, won’t last, and that for the next year or so, we may well see the fighting continuing.
„Unless Trump is really prepared to double down on Putin and show him that there’s no way that he can continue this grinding war, that he’s prepared to arm Ukraine and support Ukraine in the end, then the factors that we were talking about, the weakness of the Russian economy will come into play.
„But I don’t see them pressuring Putin into a settlement soon.
„And unless Trump is prepared to do it, I fear this could drag on for some time yet. I hope not, but that’s what I fear.“
By Sam Coates, deputy political editor
There was one clear, united message from yesterday’s virtual meeting of leaders – that they rejected Vladimir Putin’s „yes, but“ approach to a ceasefire.
The „coalition of the willing“ – the 27 leaders, plus NATO and the EU led by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron – want the Russian president to mirror Ukraine’s pledge for a 30-day pause in fighting, in order to hammer out a sustainable peace deal.
Sir Keir made that very clear, and suggested the attendees at the meeting were behind this approach.
There were, however, bigger unknowns left hanging…
It is for Kyiv, not Moscow, to decide whether peacekeeping troops should be deployed to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron says.
„Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for allied forces to be on its territory, it’s not something for Russia to accept or not,“ he told French media.
Macron and Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer are seen as the leaders of the „coalition of the willing“ idea, which would see peacekeeping forces sent to Ukraine to defend any peace deal.
Macron said any peacekeeping force would consist of „a few thousand troops per country“ to be deployed at key locations, adding that a number of European and non-European countries were interested in participating.
Lord Peter Ricketts, a retired senior diplomat, warned that Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine would be a „considerable risk“.
Speaking to Sky News‘ Trevor Phillips, the former national security adviser stressed the prime minister had done an „excellent job“ pulling Europe together.
However, „now you’ve got to ask the tough questions“, he said. „What would a European force actually do in Ukraine?“
He said any effective deterrence force had to be willing to fight Russians in Ukraine, and a „cast iron American guarantee“ would be the best route to avoid any potential fighting.
„I don’t think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, while I admire the work going into it… I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee.“
Lord Ricketts also warned that, given Russia’s opposition to a NATO force in Ukraine, any similar presence would be opposed one way or another – whether that’s through direct force or the „dark arts“ like denial operations and sabotage.
By Michael Drummond, foreign news reporter
After Sir Keir Starmer brought together many of Ukraine’s allies on a call yesterday, there are still a lot of questions about the so-called coalition of the willing idea.
A joint initiative from the UK and France, the coalition could see troops from a number of nations deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers to enforce any peace deal.
From the obvious „who could be involved“ to „where would peacekeepers deploy“ and „what would troops be authorised to do“, there is a lot that remains unclear.
But following the meeting there has been a little bit more clarity on the first one, with Italy seemingly ruling out sending troops.
Australia and Spain, however, look like two countries who could be open to contributing personnel.
You can read the latest who’s who of potential coalition of the willing members in our explainer:
As Russian forces continue to advance in the Kursk region, the Kremlin is likely getting ready to falsely accuse Ukraine of war crimes, a prominent thinktank has said.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says Russia is „likely preparing to intensify a narrative“ in an attempt to discredit Kyiv’s military, erode Western support and spoil or delay discussions about a 30-day ceasefire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, figures in the Russian government, Russian state media, and pro-Kremlin mouthpieces have recently amplified claims accusing Ukrainian forces of committing war crimes in the Kursk region during the seven months they have held territory there.
Putin asked on 13 March whether Russia should let Ukrainian forces leave Kursk „after they committed a lot of crimes against civilians“ and claimed the following day that Ukrainian forces committed „terrorism“.
The ISW drew comparisons between these unsubstantiated claims and the Kremlin’s narrative in late 2021 and 2022 that it used to attempt to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
There are, however, allegations of war crimes against Russian troops during the invasion for which there is more evidence.
The thinktank added: „ISW has frequently reported on the sharp uptick of confirmed Russian executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the battlefield in 2024 and early 2025, likely under orders from the Russian military command.“
Health secretary Wes Streeting has been speaking to Sky News this morning and answered questions about Ukraine in addition to his political brief.
Trevor Phillips pressed him on what UK troops would actually be able to do in Ukraine, if they were sent there as peacekeepers under the prime minister’s „coalition of the willing“ idea.
Streeting was asked what sort of deterrent potential British troops would actually be if they couldn’t fire on the Russians in the event of an incident.
He didn’t answer directly, saying that is „a line that has not been crossed since the foundation of NATO“.
He later said it would be an „extraordinary escalation“ for Russian troops to be in conflict with the UK.
It was put to Streeting that Vladimir Putin is „somebody who appears to have no boundaries on what he is prepared to do“.
Trevor asks what is the point of talking about peacekeeping, when actually the position in the rules of engagement would be that UK troops would not be allowed to engage in any kind of hot war with the Russians?
Streeting said peace is“ still to be negotiated“ in Ukraine, and if a deal is made then „work is under way to prepare for potential peacekeeping“.
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Ukraine war latest: Trump and Putin set for call in coming days, envoy says – Sky News
