• US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff attends an interview after participating in a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 18, 2025. (AP)

Discussions on a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war are set to resume on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed on Tuesday.

In an interview for Fox News, following a detailed phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Witkoff revealed that negotiations would begin on Sunday in Jeddah.

The US delegation to the talks will be headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, although Witkoff did not specify who they would engage with during the discussions.

Addressing a potential ceasefire concerning energy infrastructure and Black Sea targets, Witkoff expressed optimism, noting that the Russians have agreed to both proposals. He also expressed hope that the Ukrainians would accept the terms.

However, Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of effectively rejecting the US-backed ceasefire proposal, citing continued attacks on civilian infrastructure just hours after Moscow had agreed to pause strikes on the energy grid.

Washington has been advocating for a full, 30-day ceasefire as an initial step toward a broader resolution of the nearly three-year conflict.

During a 90-minute conversation with Trump on Tuesday, Putin rejected the proposal, asserting that any ceasefire would depend on Ukraine’s allies halting all military assistance. According to the Kremlin, Putin has instructed his forces to suspend attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days.

Witkoff, however, reiterated that the proposed ceasefire covers both energy and broader infrastructure targets.

The US envoy also commended Putin for his actions during the call, suggesting they had brought Russia closer to a potential final peace agreement.

Witkoff expressed confidence that with agreements on energy, infrastructure, and Black Sea targets, "it's a relatively short distance to a full ceasefire from there."

Read more: Putin seeks halt to Ukraine arms as condition for ceasefire: Bloomberg