Russian President Vladimir Putin floated the idea of direct peace talks with Ukraine for the first time since March 2022 amid mounting U.S. pressure on both Moscow and Kyiv to engage.

The White House said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, will visit Moscow this week for a new round of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine.

To initiate peace talks, Ukraine insists on a complete ceasefire, while Russia, for the first time, allows the possibility of direct dialogue with Kyiv. At the same time, the United States advocates for freezing the conflict and believes that both sides should be prepared for territorial compromises.