Overview
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on March 16 echoed President Donald Trump’s criticism, calling Kyiv the main obstacle to a deal.
- Trump told NBC he believes Vladimir Putin is willing to reach an agreement and urged Volodymyr Zelensky to make a deal.
- Kyiv rejects Russia’s precondition that Ukrainian forces withdraw from fortified positions in Donetsk Oblast.
- Ukrainian officials say control of Donetsk has become the core sticking point and that Moscow is seeking through diplomacy what it has not secured on the battlefield.
- Zelensky says the Iran-related security situation is limiting U.S. envoys’ travel, as an anonymous source suggests a new trilateral meeting could occur this week, which would be the fourth since January.