US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday engaging in what he described as “very good and productive discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising hopes for a potential resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed that thousands of Ukrainian troops were currently encircled by Russian forces and in a “very bad and vulnerable position,” adding that he had personally urged Putin to spare their lives, warning that their fate could result in a "horrible massacre" of a scale unseen since World War II.

"There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end," Trump wrote, emphasizing that he "strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared."

White House clarifies it was Witkoff who spoke with Putin

Following Trump's post, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters it was in fact Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, who spoke with Putin rather than the president himself. 

"Yesterday was productive in terms of peace. It was Steve Witkoff who spoke with Putin,” she said. 

Trump on Thursday said he would "love to meet" his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and talk to him as discussions for a potential ceasefire in Ukraine continue. 

"I’d love to meet with him [Putin] and talk to him,” Trump said at the top of his meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, as cited by the White House press pool. 

Further discussing the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, Trump said it would be "disappointing" if Putin rejected the proposal for a 30-day halt in fighting. 

"We're going to see whether or not Russia's there, and if they're not, it'll be a very disappointing moment for the world," he declared. 

Putin, in this context, has indicated a willingness to consider a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but noted that its implementation must address deeper issues rather than serve as a mere pause in hostilities.

Despite the push for a ceasefire, Putin expressed skepticism about its practical implications, particularly in contested regions like Kalinina in the Kursk region.

He questioned, "What does it mean if we stop the hostilities for 30 days? That all who are there will leave without a fight, that we have to let them leave after they have committed numerous crimes against civilians? Or the Ukrainian leadership gives them an order to surrender their weapons?"

Putin's comments suggest Moscow remains concerned that a temporary truce could allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and rearm, potentially extending the conflict rather than resolving it. His insistence on additional conditions might indicate that Russia is unlikely to accept the proposal without specific security guarantees.