Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, as Washington signals strong optimism about progress toward ending the Ukraine war. Jared Kushner, who informally advises on diplomatic efforts, is also expected to attend the meeting. The summit follows two days of negotiations in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials, including Witkoff and Kushner, aimed at refining a US-backed peace proposal seen as favourable to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the discussions constructive but warned that several difficult points still require solutions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Witkoff will meet Putin in the second half of Tuesday.
Kyiv Insists on Sovereignty and Security
Zelensky spoke in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and said Ukraine continues to prioritise full sovereignty and strong security guarantees. He said the territorial question remains the hardest part of the talks because the Kremlin demands that Ukraine surrender eastern land still under Kyiv’s control, an option Ukraine firmly rejects. The meeting in Moscow comes hours after Russian officials claimed they captured the strategic town of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and the border town of Vovchansk in the north-east. Ukrainian officials did not confirm any territorial losses and open-source intelligence groups said both cities appear not fully taken by Russian forces. Andriy Kovalenko, who heads Ukraine’s disinformation countering centre, said Russia aims to shift the entire burden of the US peace plan onto Ukraine.
Russia Promotes Image of Progress
Russia has spent nearly 18 months trying to take Pokrovsk and released footage of Putin visiting a command post at the weekend where he said Russia had advanced in a crucial area. Before leaving for Moscow, Witkoff also met UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Zelensky, and Ukraine’s new chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, while several European leaders joined the Zelensky-Macron meeting online. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the draft peace plan has undergone significant refinement and said the administration feels very optimistic. She added that negotiators will work out the details but expressed hope that the war can finally end.
Peace Plan Faces New Uncertainty
Putin said last week he reviewed a US proposal and believed it could serve as a basis for a future deal. Kremlin officials later questioned whether Moscow could accept it after Kyiv and European allies secured changes to the draft. The initial US-Russia draft circulated in November caused alarm in Kyiv and across Europe because it tilted heavily toward Moscow’s demands. It also attempted to dictate how frozen Russian assets in European banks should be invested and set terms for Ukraine’s access to European markets. Macron said on Monday that no final plan yet exists and insisted any agreement must include Ukraine and Europe. He said only Zelensky can decide on territorial concessions and stressed that decisions on frozen assets, security guarantees, and Ukraine’s EU path must involve European states. Macron also praised the US administration’s efforts to end the conflict, which began in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and escalated with the 2022 invasion.
Europe Warns Against Sidelining Ukraine
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week could be decisive but warned that Moscow prefers talks with those willing to grant extra concessions. She said she fears all pressure may fall on Ukraine because forcing the weaker side to yield can seem like the fastest path to peace, though she said such an outcome harms everyone. Moscow has sometimes engaged with US mediation attempts, but many of its demands challenge Ukraine’s sovereignty and remain unacceptable for Kyiv. The territorial question remains the main obstacle, and security guarantees also divide negotiators. Ukraine and its European partners want firm protection, including possible Nato membership, to prevent future attacks. Russia opposes this goal and Trump has also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance.
