Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, as Washington signals strong optimism about reaching a deal to end the Ukraine war. Jared Kushner, who advises informally on diplomatic efforts, is also expected to join 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 Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the discussions constructive but warned that several difficult issues still need work. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Witkoff will meet Putin in the second half of Tuesday.
Zelensky Pushes Firm Security Guarantees
Zelensky spoke in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and said Ukraine’s main priorities remain full sovereignty and strong security guarantees. He said the territorial question remains the toughest point in the talks as the Kremlin demands that Ukraine surrender eastern territory still under Kyiv’s control, a step Ukraine refuses to take. The Moscow meeting comes hours after Russian officials claimed they seized the strategic town of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and the border town of Vovchansk in the north-east. Ukrainian officials did not confirm any losses and open-source intelligence groups said neither city appeared fully captured by Russian forces. Andriy Kovalenko, who leads Ukraine’s disinformation countering centre, said Russia aims to place all pressure from the US peace plan on Ukraine.
Moscow Claims Battlefield Momentum
Russia has spent almost 18 months trying to capture Pokrovsk and released a video showing Putin visiting a command post at the weekend where he said Russia had advanced in a vital area. Before travelling to Moscow, Witkoff held talks 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 deal has been significantly refined and said the administration feels very optimistic. She added that negotiators will handle the details but stressed hope that the war can finally end.
Disagreement Grows Over Revised Peace Proposal
Putin said last week that he reviewed a US proposal and believed it could serve as a basis for a future agreement. Kremlin officials later cast doubt on whether Moscow could accept it after Kyiv and European partners secured changes. The initial US-Russia draft circulated in November caused alarm in Kyiv and across Europe because it leaned strongly toward Moscow’s demands. It also attempted to dictate how frozen Russian assets in European institutions 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 deal must involve Ukraine and Europe. He said only Zelensky can decide on territorial concessions and stressed that discussions on Russian assets, security guarantees, and Ukraine’s path to EU membership require European involvement. Macron also praised the American administration’s drive to end the conflict, which began with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and escalated with the 2022 invasion.
Europe Urges Caution as Pressure Mounts
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week could prove decisive but warned that Moscow prefers to negotiate with those who offer added rewards rather than demand concessions. She said she fears all pressure may fall on Ukraine because forcing the weaker side to yield can seem like the quickest way to stop the fighting, though she argued that such an outcome serves no one. Moscow has sometimes engaged with US mediation attempts, but many Russian demands challenge Ukraine’s sovereignty and remain unacceptable for Kyiv. The territorial dispute remains the biggest obstacle, and the issue of security guarantees also divides negotiators. Ukraine and its European partners want firm protections, including possible Nato membership, to prevent future attacks. Russia fiercely opposes this plan and Trump has also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance.
