US President Donald Trump said on Friday there is a “very good chance” the war between Russia and Ukraine can end after “productive” discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

“We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that he had requested that Putin spare the lives of “completely surrounded” Ukrainian troops.

US envoy Steve Witkoff had a long meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday night, a source briefed on the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

The Truth Social post did not say whether Trump and Putin had spoken to each other.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had used the meeting to convey “signals” to Trump through Witkoff. He said Russia and the US would work out the timing of a phone call between their presidents once Witkoff had briefed Trump.

The US president has said he wants Moscow and Kyiv to agree a swift ceasefire to pause fighting in a conflict which he has warned has the potential to spiral into World War Three and has already cost many lives on both sides.

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