Istanbul Protocol will be 'guidepost' to make Russia-Ukraine deal — US

US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that the United States is "very close" to reaching a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, similar to Istanbul Protocol Agreement, to end the war.

Speaking to CNN, Witkoff reiterated on Sunday that the war did not need to happen and that regardless of who started it, it must come to an end.

"The war didn't need to happen. It was provoked. It doesn't necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians," he said.

"There were all kinds of conversations back then about Ukraine joining NATO. The president has spoken about this. That didn't need to happen. It basically became a threat to the Russians," he added.

"There were very, very what I'll call cogent and substantive negotiations framed in something that's called the Istanbul Protocol Agreement. We came very, very close to signing something, and I think we'll be using that framework as a guidepost to get a peace deal done between Ukraine and Russia, and I think that will be an amazing day."

Commenting on the role that US President Donald Trump has in the process, Witkoff said: "We have had close to 1.5 million deaths, and finally we have a leader determined to end the carnage."

UNGA resolutions

The US has pressured Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed UN resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine in favour of an American proposal that does not mention Moscow's invasion, a US official and a European diplomat said on Sunday.

But Ukraine refused to pull its draft resolution, and the UN General Assembly will vote on it Monday, the third anniversary of the war, two European diplomats said.

The 193-nation General Assembly then is expected to vote on the US draft resolution, according to the diplomats and the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private negotiations are still ongoing.

The Trump administration is also seeking a vote on its proposal in the more powerful UN Security Council. The 15-nation council will meet on Monday afternoon on Ukraine, and late on Sunday, it scheduled the vote immediately afterwards, but the European diplomats said it could be pushed to Tuesday at Russia's request.

The duelling resolutions — the first since the invasion — highlight the tension between the US, Ukraine and European countries in the five weeks since President Donald Trump took office and has opened talks with Russia after years of isolation in a bid to end the war.