Zelensky, Trump hold call following Witkoff Moscow visit
Editor's note: This story was updated to include the information about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joining the call between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call along with European leaders following a trip to Moscow by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Zelensky said on Aug. 6.
"This conversation happened after President Trump's representative, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow," Zelensky wrote on X. He said European leaders also joined the call. "Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear — the war must end. And it must be done honestly," Zelensky added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was one of the European leaders who joined the call, according to Sky News.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Witkoff on Aug. 6 for around three hours, according to Russian state media TASS.
The Kremlin did not disclose the contents of the meeting, but unnamed sources told CNN that Moscow had requested the talks in hopes of avoiding additional U.S. sanctions.
Trump earlier warned that unless Russia agreed to halt hostilities in Ukraine by Aug. 8, Washington would move forward with secondary tariffs, targeting countries that purchase Russian oil.
Before his meeting with Putin, Witkoff held talks with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and a figure previously involved in back-channel diplomacy with the Trump administration.
After the Kremlin meeting, Witkoff proceeded to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, RBK-Ukraine reported.
Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation with Witkoff as "useful and constructive," noting that it covered the war in Ukraine and prospects for "strategic cooperation" between Washington and Moscow.
"Some signals have been sent out from our side," Ushakov said. "Corresponding signals were also received from President Trump."
The White House is expected to impose new sanctions on Russia by Aug. 8, an undisclosed source told Reuters after the meeting between Witkoff and Putin was over.
Trump later said that the meeting between Witkoff and Putin was "highly productive."
"Great progress was made! Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," Trump said.
