Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, said he will meet Ukrainian representatives in New York this week as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the Ukraine war.

“I’m meeting with the Ukrainians this week in New York,” Witkoff confirmed in an interview with Fox News. He added that US and Russian officials remain in contact and voiced optimism that progress toward a peace deal could be made before the year ends.

According to him, Ukraine is reviewing Russia’s peace plan, while Moscow has also indicated willingness to resolve the conflict. He emphasized that any final decision would be taken by Kyiv, not Washington.

On August 19, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation reaffirming their commitment to direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, later said the call was initiated by Trump and included updates on his discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.

Putin also thanked Trump for the hospitality shown during the recent Alaska Summit, noting the progress achieved toward a peaceful resolution.