In a significant diplomatic move, Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This high-stakes meeting forms part of Washington's renewed push to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Diplomatic Shuttle Between Florida and Moscow
The Moscow talks follow immediately after Witkoff led a US delegation in discussions with Ukrainian officials in Florida over the weekend. This diplomatic shuttle comes three and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The White House has projected confidence regarding the potential for an agreement. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that the administration feels "very optimistic" about the prospects.
Ukraine's lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, noted that "significant progress" was made during the two days of talks in Florida. However, he cautioned that more work is required on several "challenging" issues before a final settlement can be reached.
European Allies Voice Concern Over Concessions
While the US strikes an upbeat tone, Kyiv's European partners have grown increasingly concerned. They worry the proposed American peace plan may concede too much to Moscow's maximalist demands.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed fear that the Putin-Witkoff meeting would increase pressure on Ukraine to make substantial concessions. This tension highlights a potential rift in the Western alliance's approach to ending the conflict.
Witkoff, a former business partner of Donald Trump turned roving envoy, is expected to travel to Russia accompanied by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Kushner will also attend the meeting with President Putin.
War Front Developments and Ukrainian Diplomacy
Amid the diplomacy, fighting continues on the ground. Russian military commanders reported to Putin on Monday that their forces had captured the frontline towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk. Pokrovsk is a key logistics hub described as the gateway to the Donbas region. President Putin hailed these as successes enabling further advances. Ukrainian officials have not acknowledged the fall of either location.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, insisted that Russia must not be rewarded for its invasion. "We need to ensure that Russia itself does not perceive anything it could consider as a reward for this war," he stated.
Zelenskyy has been actively rallying support, holding calls with over a dozen world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. On social media, he emphasised that "peace must become truly durable" and that "the war must end as soon as possible."
The peace push coincides with internal challenges for Kyiv. A corruption scandal has rocked Zelenskyy's inner circle, leading to the dismissal last week of his top negotiator and chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
In a grim reminder of the war's human cost, a Russian missile attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Monday killed four people and wounded nearly two dozen others, according to the regional governor.
