The White House has expressed a strong sense of optimism as special envoy Steve Witkoff prepares for a crucial meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. This high-stakes dialogue aims to address ongoing efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has announced that the meeting is scheduled to commence at approximately 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), with the participation of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
This meeting follows a series of discussions between senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials, who have been revising the original peace plan initially proposed by the Trump administration to Ukraine last month. Witkoff, along with other high-ranking U.S. officials such as Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, engaged in talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida on Sunday, focusing on reaching a consensus that could lead to a viable agreement for both Ukraine and Russia to end the ongoing conflict.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt conveyed a positive outlook on Monday, stating that the administration feels very optimistic following the Florida discussions. "They had very good talks with the Ukrainians in Florida. And now, of course, Special Envoy Witkoff is on his way to Russia," Leavitt told reporters. The lead Ukrainian official at the Florida talks confirmed that while progress was made, certain issues still require further refinement.
The Kremlin also confirmed that Witkoff's meeting with Putin was on the agenda for Tuesday. In preparation, Putin has been engaging with military commanders and a governor from a frontline territory, indicating the significance of the forthcoming discussions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of this meeting, stating, "We have no doubt that this will be a very important step towards peace and a peaceful settlement."
Despite the optimism, there are low expectations that Putin will agree to a new deal. Recent remarks from the Russian leader indicate his unwillingness to compromise. He reiterated his demands for Ukraine to withdraw from territories he claims as Russian soil, dismissing the possibility of negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Amid these tensions, Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, discussing steps to achieve a just peace. He also arrived in Dublin on Tuesday to meet with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. As Zelenskyy continues to advocate for European unity against Russian aggression, members of his delegation in Florida were actively providing updates on the negotiations.
During the talks, Zelenskyy noted that there remain several challenging issues to navigate, including the potential relinquishment of some Ukrainian territory to Russia. He, along with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, received briefings from Witkoff and the head of the Kyiv delegation, Rustem Umerov, who serves as the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
Umerov reported that over two productive days in the U.S., they engaged in extensive discussions, achieving significant progress, though some issues still require further refinement. He and the negotiating team met with Zelenskyy on Tuesday to delve into matters that needed personal discussion, emphasizing the importance of their allies' partnership in this critical phase.
As the meeting in Moscow marks the sixth encounter between Witkoff and Putin this year, it symbolizes a renewed effort by the White House to forge a peace deal in the nearly four-year-old conflict. Recent talks in Florida included discussions on a revised 19-point peace plan that was developed during previous American-Ukrainian talks in Geneva, Switzerland. This new proposal sought to amend an earlier 28-point plan that had raised concerns among Kyiv and European allies due to its perceived bias towards Russia.
While specific details about further revisions to the peace plan remain undisclosed, Leavitt refrained from detailing what the U.S. expects from the negotiations in Moscow, stating, "We've put points on paper. Those points have been very much refined. But as for the details, I will let the negotiators negotiate." However, she did express confidence in the ongoing efforts, adding, "we're hopeful that this work can finally come to an end."