In a significant diplomatic move, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Moscow on Monday. His mission is to present a peace plan proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking what may be a pivotal moment for the Trump administration's efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Witkoff's journey to Moscow comes on the heels of talks he participated in with a high-level Ukrainian delegation in Florida. These discussions aimed to explore potential solutions that both Ukraine and Russia might find acceptable to end the conflict. The Kremlin has confirmed that a meeting between Witkoff and Putin is scheduled for Tuesday. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the president will engage in several closed-door meetings today to prepare for these crucial Russian-American contacts.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, expectations remain low regarding a potential agreement. Putin has previously signaled his unwillingness to compromise, reiterating his demands for Ukraine to withdraw from territories he claims. He has characterized negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as pointless, suggesting that the Kremlin is content to wait for Kyiv to concede to its conditions.
On the same day, Zelenskyy is expected to be in Paris for discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, where they will likely address the ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Zelenskyy expressed optimism about the day's events, stating, "It will be a very substantive day." He highlighted the importance of several key areas: diplomacy, defense, and energy.
In a social media update, Zelenskyy mentioned that his emissaries in Florida had reported back on the talks, providing preliminary results but noting that full details were still forthcoming. He expressed eagerness to receive a comprehensive report during a personal meeting with his team.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the delicate nature of the next steps in the negotiations, emphasizing the complexities involved. He noted that another party would need to be included in the discussions, indicating that Witkoff's upcoming trip to Moscow is part of a broader dialogue that includes the Russian side. Rubio stated, "We have a pretty good understanding of their views as well."
Officials from both Ukraine and the United States described the approximately two-hour meeting held at Shell Bay Golf Course in Hallandale Beach as productive. However, no specific details about agreements were disclosed, and there is no indication that significant breakthroughs were achieved on the most contentious issues preventing an end to the war.
The meeting focused on a revised 19-point peace plan developed during previous negotiations in Geneva. This plan is an update of an earlier 28-point proposal that caused concern among Kyiv and European allies for appearing to favor Russia. While officials did not confirm whether the proposal had been further amended, discussions included critical topics such as security guarantees for Ukraine and the status of billions of dollars in Russian assets frozen by Western nations.
Despite these discussions, there appears to be no advancement regarding Russia's demand for Ukraine to relinquish unoccupied territory in the Donbas region. The source indicated that Russia remains unwilling to entertain any form of ceasefire, while Ukraine is steadfast in its refusal to cede territory.
Rubio characterized the talks as a "very productive and useful session," where further progress was made. He noted a shared vision among participants that the discussions are not solely focused on ending the war but also on securing a prosperous future for Ukraine. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary and lead negotiator, echoed this sentiment, stating that the successful meeting in Geneva was built upon during their latest discussions.
Zelenskyy concluded by affirming that initial reports from his team indicated a constructive meeting on Sunday, although he acknowledged that several challenging issues remain to be resolved.
The developments from these negotiations will undoubtedly be closely watched as the international community seeks a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.