‘We have never been this close to peace’ since Russia invaded Ukraine, Leavitt tells reporters

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt “We have never been close to peace” as the United States awaits Russia’s answer in a 30-day ceasefire agreement, told reporters on Friday. Ukraine accepted the deal earlier this week after a meeting with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in Moscow’s case against the plan.

Levitt pointed out that the president this morning Donald Trump A harsh social post of truth, including a message urging Russians to accept the U.S. ceasefire proposal.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke to media members outside the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 14, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)

Trump “hopes” Putin agrees to a ceasefire because Moscow has not yet ceased

“He is putting pressure on President Putin and the Russians,” Levitt told reporters. “Yesterday was a productive day for the United States of America and the world. We have never been so close to peace in terms of peace.”

Celebrating the success of the administration, Levitt pointed out that yesterday NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Trump’s handling of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Rut told Trump that he “breaked the deadlock” in the Russian-Ukrainian war and opened this week in Saudi Arabia’s peace talks and “dialogue with the Russians.”

(Reuters/Evelyn Hawkstan)

Zelenskyy accuses Putin of trying to stop ceasefire talks, pushing Trump to impose stricter sanctions

“Ukraine, you broke the deadlock, as you said, all the killings and young people died, the city was destroyed. And the fact that you did this, you started talking to the Russians and successfully negotiated in Saudi Arabia, Now with Ukrainians. I really want to appreciate it. ” Rutt said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via Reuters/Leah Millis/Alina Smutko)

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Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for tougher sanctions on Russia and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to delay peace talks to prolong the war.

But, on Thursday, Trump said in a reporter raised with Rutte that he prefers peace over sanctions, but noted that what the U.S. could do economically “is very harmful to Russia.” He didn’t specify what this required.