On Wednesday (August 6), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Russia appears to be showing greater willingness toward a ceasefire. However, he emphasized that the specifics of any potential agreement are crucial, warning that neither Ukraine nor the United States should be misled by Moscow. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said that his envoy, Steve Witkoff, had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, describing it as a sign of great progress — though he did not provide any details. After the meeting, Zelenskiy spoke with Trump, along with leaders from European allied nations. Ukraine will continue to defend its sovereignty. What we need is a durable and trustworthy peace. Russia must stop the war it initiated, Zelenskiy posted on X.

Trump, who has recently expressed dissatisfaction with Putin, has reportedly given him until Friday to pursue peace or face increased sanctions. While Trump praised Witkoff’s visit, a White House official confirmed that the planned secondary sanctions on nations trading with Russia remain scheduled for Friday. In addition, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on Indian imports of Russian oil.

Sanctions are having an effect, Zelenskiy said. But what matters most is ensuring we arent misled by Russia — neither us nor our American partners. Ukraine continues to push for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, but Russia — which currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian land and is still advancing in the east — has rejected this demand. Zelenskiy also mentioned that Ukraine and its allied national security advisers would soon gather to form a unified position.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.