Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, as Washington signals rising optimism about progress toward ending the Ukraine war. Jared Kushner, who advises informally on diplomatic efforts, is also expected to attend the meeting. The summit follows two days of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials, including Witkoff and Kushner, aimed at refining a US-backed peace proposal seen as favourable to Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the discussions constructive but warned that several difficult issues remain unresolved. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Witkoff will meet Putin in the second half of Tuesday.
Ukraine Demands Firm Guarantees and Full Sovereignty
Zelensky spoke in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and said Ukraine continues to prioritise sovereignty and strong security guarantees. He said the territorial question remains the hardest part of the negotiations because Russia wants Ukraine to surrender eastern land still under Kyiv’s control, which Kyiv refuses to consider. 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 neither city appeared fully under Russian control. Andriy Kovalenko, who leads Ukraine’s disinformation countering centre, said Russia aims to place all pressure from the US peace plan on Ukraine.
Kremlin Highlights Its Battlefield Claims
Russia has tried for almost 18 months to capture Pokrovsk and released video of Putin visiting a command post at the weekend, where he said Russia had advanced in a crucial area. Before leaving for Moscow, Witkoff held meetings with 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 been significantly refined and said the administration feels very optimistic. She added that negotiators will continue to handle the details but stressed hope that the war can finally end.
Revised Peace Plan Sparks Debate Across Europe
Putin said last week that he reviewed a US proposal and believed it could form the basis of a future agreement. Kremlin officials later cast doubt on whether Moscow could accept it after Kyiv and its European partners secured changes. The original US-Russia draft circulated in November caused alarm in Kyiv and across Europe because it leaned 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 exists and insisted any agreement must involve Ukraine and Europe. He said only Zelensky can decide on territorial concessions and noted 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 with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and escalated with the 2022 invasion.
EU Voices Concern Over Pressure on Kyiv
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week could prove decisive but warned that Moscow prefers to negotiate with those offering additional concessions. She said she fears all pressure may fall on Ukraine because forcing the weaker side to yield can seem like the quickest route to peace, though she argued that such an outcome benefits no one. 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 the issue of security guarantees also divides negotiators. Ukraine and its European partners want firm protection, including possible Nato membership, to guard against future attacks. Russia strongly opposes this aim, and Trump has also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance.
