Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, as Washington signals growing optimism about progress toward ending the Ukraine war. Jared Kushner, who advises informally on diplomatic matters, 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 viewed as favourable to Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the discussions as constructive but warned that several difficult issues still require resolution. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Witkoff will meet Putin in the second half of Tuesday.
Kyiv Repeats Its Red Lines on Territory and Security
Zelensky spoke in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and said Ukraine continues to prioritise full sovereignty and firm security guarantees. He said the territorial question remains the toughest part of the negotiations because Russia wants Ukraine to surrender eastern land still under Kyiv’s control, a demand Ukraine refuses to accept. The Moscow talks come 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 losses, and open-source intelligence groups said neither location appears fully under Russian control. Andriy Kovalenko, who leads Ukraine’s disinformation countering centre, said Russia aims to place the entire burden of the US peace plan on Ukraine.
Kremlin Promotes Claims of Military Advances
Russia has spent nearly 18 months trying to take Pokrovsk and released footage showing Putin visiting a command post at the weekend, where he said Russia had advanced in a crucial area. Before travelling to Moscow, Witkoff also met 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 continue to handle the details but expressed hope that the war could finally end.
Peace Draft Faces Pushback After European Changes
Putin said last week he reviewed a US proposal and believed it could serve as a basis for a future deal. Kremlin officials later questioned whether Moscow could accept it after Kyiv and European allies secured changes. The original US-Russia draft circulated in November caused alarm in Kyiv and across Europe because it strongly favoured 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 currently exists and insisted any agreement must involve Ukraine and Europe. He said only Zelensky can decide on territorial concessions and stressed that decisions on frozen assets, security guarantees, and Ukraine’s EU path must include European nations. Macron also praised the US administration’s push to end the conflict, which began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalated with the 2022 invasion.
European Leaders Caution Against Forcing Kyiv to Yield
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week could be decisive but warned that Moscow prefers negotiations with parties willing to offer extra concessions. She said she fears all pressure may fall on Ukraine because forcing the weaker side to yield can appear the fastest way to end the war, though she argued this outcome benefits 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 largest obstacle, and security guarantees also divide negotiators. Ukraine and its European partners want strong protections, including possible Nato membership, to prevent future attacks. Russia fiercely opposes this goal, and Trump has also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join the alliance.
