White House Optimistic Agreement Ending Russia-Ukraine War Can Be Achieved

White House Press Secretary Krypt Leavitt. (Instagram/kZeeleavitt)

JAKARTA - The White House on Monday said it was optimistic that a peace agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war could be reached, when US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff headed to Moscow to negotiate with President Vladimir Putin.

"I think the government is very optimistic," White House Press Secretary Krypte Leavitt told reporters, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (2/12).

Levitt further said President Trump and his team "have worked very hard on this endeavor and they are all eager to see this war end."

"Just yesterday they had very good talks with the Ukrainian side in Florida and now of course the Witkoff Special Envoy is on its way to Russia," he said.

Earlier, Witkoff met with Ukrainian negotiators on Sunday with Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and met again on Monday.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the talks "reached significant progress" but some issues remain unresolved.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, although trying hard not to anger President Trump, has rejected US-backed calls for Ukraine to give up a disputed territory that Russia has yet to win over.

A US plan, which was also submitted to Ukraine a week earlier in Geneva without their input, would see Kyiv withdraw from eastern Donetsk territory, while Uncle Sam's country de facto recognized Donetsk, Crimea, and Lugansk regions as Russian territory.

Washington will in turn offer Ukraine some form of guarantee, but the measures will not fulfill Kyiv's ambition to join the NATO defense alliance.

Washington isudied to reduce its initial plans after being criticized by Kyiv and Europe, but its content is currently unclear.