WASHINGTON (TNND) — A potential ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine loomed large over high-profile meetings at the White House. President Trump met with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte amid ongoing discussions about a peace agreement.

We'd like to see a ceasefire from Russia," said President Trump. "We haven't been working in the dark, we've been discussing with Ukraine land, and pieces of land that would be kept and lost."

Ukraine has already agreed to a 30-day ceasefire to halt the fighting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized earlier this week that the decision now rests with Russia.

"The shooting stops, the fighting stops, and the talking starts," Rubio said on Wednesday.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to resist an immediate stop of hostilities. Putin said they agreed to a ceasefire in principle while saying there were still issues to work out.

"We agree with the proposal for a ceasefire, but we proceed from the fact that this ceasefire should lead to an enduring peace and should remove the root causes of this crisis," he said.

President Trump said Russia was sending good signals about a potential deal, but stressed it needed to happen soon.

Now we're going to see if Russia's there. If not, it'll be a very disappointing moment for the worldHe put out a very promising statement, but it was incomplete," Trump told reporters.

Despite the ongoing conflict, President Trump is considering various options to secure a peace deal. He suggested earlier this week imposing significant financial sanctions on Russia but expressed reluctance, citing a desire for peace.

Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. reinforced the call for sanctions via a post on X, expressing skepticism about Russia's commitment to the ceasefire. He promised "bone-breaking sanctions and tariffs against Russia before the end of the week," warning of severe consequences if Russia does not pursue peace.

Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff, a trusted Trump Administration Special Envoy to the Middle East, is in Moscow for discussions with Putin regarding the ceasefire agreement. President Trump also indicated his willingness to engage directly with Putin.