President Zelensky: Russia Must End The War It Started

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia should end the war it started and lean towards a ceasefire, following a meeting of the Russian President with the US Special Envoy on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin, a meeting described by the two countries as constructive.

President Zelensky warned that details of the potential agreement are very important and neither Ukraine nor the United States should be deceived by Moscow.

Following the meeting, President Zelensky and a number of European ally leaders spoke with President Trump.

"Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end its own war," President Zelensky tweeted on X.

President Trump, who has shown frustration with Putin in recent weeks, has given the Russian president until Friday to make peace with Ukraine or face tougher sanctions, praising Witkoff's visit as very productive.

However, a White House official said the secondary sanctions Trump has imposed on countries doing business with Russia are still expected to be imposed on Friday.

"The pressure on (Russia) is successful. But the most important thing is that they don't deceive us in small things, both us and the US," President Zelensky said.

National security advisers from Ukraine and allied countries will soon meet to formulate a "joint attitude", President Zelensky added.

It is known, Ukraine has repeatedly called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Russia, which now controls about a fifth of Ukraine's territory and continues to advance in the eastern front, rejected the idea.