Trump's envoy: Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine are necessary; without Putin's approval, nothing can be discussed.

On May 13, Trump’s Middle East envoy Vitkov believes that direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow are necessary, and he hopes that Putin and Zelensky can meet soon. “I hope so,” Vitkov said in an interview with Breitbart News, asked if the presidents of Russia and Ukraine would meet in the near future. “Our task is to bring them to a room and show them that without a peaceful solution to the conflict, the outcome will only be bad for everyone,” he said. He also revealed that Trump had “issued an ultimatum” to Kyiv and Moscow: if Russia and Ukraine cannot make progress in resolving the conflict, the United States will withdraw from relevant mediation efforts. The United States is actively communicating with all parties involved, including Ukraine, Russia, and Europe, because “dialogue with everyone” is critical. He stressed that nothing can be negotiated without Putin’s nod. At the same time, he expressed puzzlement about the logic of those who oppose the dialogue with Moscow.