But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again rejected suggestions that Ukraine give up Crimea, and the talks between Putin and US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff came just after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.
“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off’,“ he posted on his Truth Social platform.
Trump, who has threatened to walk away from peace efforts if he does not see progress towards a ceasefire, gave no other details.
Ushakov said the meeting had brought the US and Russian positions on Ukraine “closer together”.
Crimea claims
Trump said while campaigning for the US presidency that he would end the conflict within a day of taking office. He has however since clashed with Zelensky and expressed frustration over Putin’s actions.
On Thursday, after Russia launched its deadliest strike on Kyiv in months, Trump wrote on social media: “Vladimir, STOP!”, adding “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Ukraine and its European allies are wary of any deal that could be struck between Moscow and Washington.
As Witkoff visited Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US broadcaster CBS that Moscow was “ready to reach a deal”, but that unnamed details needed to be addressed.
The United States has not revealed details of its peace plan, but has suggested freezing the front line and accepting Russian control of Crimea in exchange for peace.
With Ukraine fearful Trump could force it to cede Crimea -- a strategic Black Sea peninsula seized by Russia in 2014 -- Zelensky insisted the territory is “the property of the Ukrainian people”.
Zelensky has however conceded that Ukraine might have to try to return of some land captured by Russia through diplomacy once a ceasefire is in place.
Zelensky cited the Russian strike on Kyiv strike, which left at least 12 dead, as one of the reasons he might miss Pope Francis’s funeral Saturday.
Just before Witkoff met Putin, Russia reported that General Yaroslav Moskalik, one of the deputy heads of the general staff, was killed by a bomb in a parked car just outside Moscow.
“There are reasons to believe that Ukraine’s special services were involved in the murder,“ Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. Ukraine did not immediately comment.
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