President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are slated to hold a phone call this week to advance U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff announced Sunday.

The conversation, expected to be their second publicized exchange since Trump’s second term began in January, follows a February call where they agreed to initiate high-level talks to end the conflict.

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Witkoff expressed optimism: “I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.” Fresh from a meeting with Putin in Russia, Witkoff predicted progress toward a deal soon, aligning with Trump’s timeline of “weeks.”

“I am really hopeful that we are going to see some real progress here,” he added. Later, on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Witkoff reiterated the call’s potential but avoided specifics on outcomes, emphasizing the leaders’ rapport from Trump’s first term as a foundation for a “very positive and constructive” exchange.

The call follows Witkoff’s earlier trip to Russia to secure the release of Marc Fogel, a U.S. teacher deemed wrongfully detained. A day after the prisoner swap, Trump described a “lengthy and highly productive” conversation with Putin.

While Ukraine has endorsed a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, Putin has agreed in principle but insists on resolving key details. Witkoff sidestepped whether the call would finalize this, saying, “President Trump is the ultimate decision maker… and President Putin, for Russia, is their decision maker,” but hailed their dialogue as a sign of “positive momentum.”

Witkoff also rebuffed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent claim that Russia isn’t sincerely pursuing peace, suggesting Putin is escalating before talks. Unaware of Macron’s exact remarks, Witkoff called such assessments “unfortunate” from those lacking “firsthand knowledge.” Reflecting on his Putin meeting, he noted, “I saw a constructive effort… to discuss the specifics of what’s going on in the field,” citing Putin’s body language as evidence of intent.

The anticipated call underscores Trump’s push to end the war swiftly, a priority met with cautious hope amid ongoing battlefield complexities.