Insiders at BILD claim that US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff misunderstood Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's statements about the terms of the ceasefire. The latter is said to still be seeking total control over the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions.
Points of attention
- The proposed partial ceasefire by Putin, focusing on specific targets, clashed with the Trump team's proposal for a freeze in exchange for sanctions relief and economic deals.
- The incident underscores the importance of clear communication and understanding in diplomatic negotiations to avoid misunderstandings and prevent escalation of conflicts.
Witkoff couldn't understand what Putin wanted
According to the publication, in fact, the Russian dictator did not propose a comprehensive, but only a partial ceasefire.
First of all, it is about stopping attacks on energy facilities and large cities in the rear of Ukraine.
As for the Trump team's position, it has proposed to "freeze" the war on the current front line in exchange for a large-scale lifting of sanctions and new economic agreements with Russia.
Insiders claim that Moscow did not like this proposal.
Witkoff completely misunderstood Putin's statements regarding the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Thus, he interpreted Russia's required "peaceful withdrawal" of Ukrainians from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as a proposal for the "peaceful withdrawal" of Russians from these same regions.
Anonymous sources report that on July 7, telephone talks took place between the United States — Special Envoy Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President J.D. Vance — and their allies in Europe.
According to the latter, Trump's team still has not been able to understand what is happening.
This was primarily due to Witkoff, whose statements about his conversation with Putin in the Kremlin were perceived as confusing. To Europeans, he seemed overwhelmed and incompetent when talking about territorial issues.
