Trump says Witkoff's meeting with Putin more productive than expected - media

US President Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, gave his assessment of the meeting between special envoy Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the German ezine Bild said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday evening.

According to Bild, Trump said in a telephone conversation with Merz that the conversation between Witkoff and Putin was more productive than expected.

As previously reported, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff spent about three hours in Moscow meeting with Vladimir Putin.

"However, it remains unclear what concessions Putin is really ready to make regarding the ceasefire," Bild said.

As previously reported, the deadline set by Trump expires on Friday: by that time, Putin must agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, otherwise Russia and its allies face 100 percent US punitive duties.