Witkoff overstepped his authority when discussing Ukraine’s territory: Zelensky

“You know that these are red lines for us to recognize any territories <…> as territories not of Ukraine but of Russia. These representatives are discussing issues outside their authority,” he stated at a news conference in Odessa.

Witkoff previously said on Fox News that he held three meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added the latest talks, in St. Petersburg, made it clear to him that Putin wants permanent peace.

According to the envoy, the focal issue for resolving the conflict is the five territories, but he added there are also other issues, such as security protocols, NATO’s fifth clause and related details.

The latest meeting between Putin and Witkoff took place on April 11 and lasted more than four hours. It focused on the situation in Ukraine.

Putin has called for a resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, but only if a settlement respects Russia’s interests and removes the root causes of the crisis. These are the conditions, he said, that would help establish a lasting peace, something that Moscow is interested in.