Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly open to a “lasting peace” agreement with Ukraine, according to United States special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff, who represents President Donald Trump, shared the remarks during a TV interview on Monday evening, following what he described as “significant” discussions with Putin in Saint Petersburg the previous week. While optimism was expressed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned that negotiating the details of any deal remains “challenging.” At the same time, Ukraine and several European nations have urged the U.S. to remain wary of what they describe as Moscow’s stall tactics amid ceasefire talks.

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“We may be close to securing something critically important for global stability,” Witkoff said in his interview with Fox News, reflecting on his Friday encounter with the Russian president. He acknowledged that the process had been long, but suggested that a “framework for peace” was beginning to take shape after more than five hours of discussions.

Witkoff also alluded to prospects for reimagining U.S.-Russia ties through “economic collaboration” that could promote long-term stability in the region.

Friday’s talks marked the third major dialogue between Washington and Moscow since President Trump returned to office in January, having vowed to resolve the Ukraine conflict swiftly.

Despite ongoing diplomatic activities, concrete progress remains limited. Ukraine has signaled openness to U.S.-led initiatives, yet Russia has continued its military campaign without offering substantial concessions. Most recently, on Sunday, Russian forces carried out one of the conflict’s deadliest strikes in Sumy — an attack President Trump labeled a “mistake,” without providing further context.

Accusations from both sides have followed, each blaming the other for breaching a U.S.-negotiated truce focused on protecting critical energy assets from attack.

Who’s to Blame?

Even with Witkoff’s encouraging remarks, Lavrov expressed skepticism in a Monday interview with Kommersant, stating that compromise on the main aspects of a peace accord remains “difficult to attain.”

However, Lavrov conceded that the Trump White House appears determined to examine the “underlying causes” of the conflict, attributing blame to “interference from Washington and Brussels” in installing Ukraine’s current leadership.

President Trump appeared to echo some of these sentiments on Monday, claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former President Joe Biden bear responsibility for the war, alongside Putin, who launched the invasion in February 2022.

“Millions of lives lost because of just three people,” Trump told reporters. “If you ask me, number one is Putin. But number two is Biden — who had no clue what he was doing — and number three is Zelenskyy,” he said, dismissing Ukraine’s moves to acquire defense systems like missiles.

“You don’t charge into a war unless you're sure you can win,” Trump added. “Starting a war against a far more powerful foe and banking on missiles from others isn’t a strategy.”

‘Goodwill Taken for Granted’

Relations between President Trump and Zelenskyy have been fraught ever since Trump surprised many by entering direct talks with Russia in February — a move critics argue handed Moscow diplomatic leverage.

Tensions mounted after failed preliminary talks surrounding a proposal giving the U.S. preferential rights to Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources — a proposal that led to a fiery exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy during a contentious Oval Office meeting six weeks ago.

Kyiv’s leadership has voiced concern over being marginalized in U.S.-Russia negotiations.

“Before making any commitments or engaging in any negotiations, I urge them to witness firsthand the suffering — the civilians, the wounded, the destroyed homes, churches, and lives,” Zelenskyy appealed during an interview aired on CBS’s 60 Minutes Sunday night.

Meanwhile, European partners have cautioned the Trump administration to remain critical of Russia’s temporary pauses and tactics during the ceasefire discussions.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski commented Monday that the attack on Sumy should serve as a warning, emphasizing that Putin may be “exploiting their goodwill.”