Russian President Vladimir Putin will host US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday, a meeting Washington hopes will mark a decisive step toward ending the years-long war in Ukraine.
The talks come after the White House said it felt “very optimistic” about the latest draft peace proposal, which has been heavily revised following days of negotiations in Florida.
The US delegation, which also included Jared Kushner — President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and informal diplomatic adviser — spent two days in discussions with Ukrainian officials, including chief negotiator Rustem Umerov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the sessions as “constructive”, though he emphasised that “some tough issues still have to be worked through.”
During a joint appearance with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, Zelensky reiterated Kyiv’s core priorities: protection of sovereignty, meaningful security guarantees, and no concessions on territory.
“The territorial issue is the most difficult,” he said, noting that the Kremlin continues to insist Ukraine must surrender portions of the eastern regions still under its control — a demand Kyiv says it will never accept.
Witkoff’s diplomatic tour has also taken him to London, where he met UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Several European leaders later joined the Zelensky-Macron meeting virtually, underscoring the continent’s desire to play a decisive role in any final settlement.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the US-backed peace proposal has undergone major revisions since the controversial first draft emerged in November. That version was widely criticized across Europe and in Kyiv for appearing “heavily slanted” toward Russian interests.
It outlined how billions in frozen Russian assets held in European banks would be allocated and even set terms for Ukraine’s access to EU markets — issues many European governments insisted were theirs to decide.
Leavitt said Monday that negotiators had “refined” the deal significantly. “We feel quite good, and we’re hopeful this war can finally come to an end,” she added. Still, she avoided confirming whether Washington believes Moscow is fully prepared to accept the revised plan.
Last week Putin told Russian media he had reviewed the updated draft and believed it could serve as a “basis” for future agreement. But shortly after, Kremlin officials cautioned that changes made by Kyiv and Europe might complicate Moscow’s endorsement.
Macron, speaking alongside Zelensky, stressed there was “no finalised peace plan to speak of” and warned that key decisions on security guarantees, frozen assets, and Ukraine’s EU accession must include Europe. He also reiterated that only Zelensky can make decisions regarding Ukrainian territory.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the week ahead could be “pivotal” but expressed concern Moscow may be attempting to pressure the weaker side — Ukraine — into concessions. “That is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders,” she said. “But this is not in anybody’s interest.”
Another major sticking point remains Ukraine’s long-term security. Kyiv, along with its European allies, insists on firm guarantees — ideally NATO membership — to prevent future Russian aggression. Russia, however, fiercely opposes any expansion of NATO to Ukraine. Trump has also said Ukraine’s NATO accession is off the table.
The tensions come as Moscow claims advances on the battlefield. On Monday, Russian officials said their forces had captured the strategic towns of Pokrovsk and Vovshansk in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv has not confirmed either loss, and open-source intelligence analysts report that both towns remain contested.
As Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow, expectations are mixed. While the US projects confidence, Europe worries about being sidelined, and Ukraine insists on preserving sovereignty, Russia appears interested but still deeply uncompromising on core demands.
The outcome of Tuesday’s meeting may not determine the conflict’s end, but it will provide the clearest indication yet of whether the diplomatic window opening this winter is genuine — or merely another fragile moment destined to collapse under the weight of unresolved divisions.