Highlights:
Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday (2), marking a critical moment in efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. The meeting follows two days of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials, including Witkoff and Donald Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner, where the American side sought to refine a peace proposal that Kyiv had previously viewed as overly favorable to Moscow. Kushner is also expected to attend the Moscow discussions.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky described the recent Florida negotiations as “constructive,” though he acknowledged that “tough issues” remain unresolved. Among these, territorial questions are proving the most contentious. Kyiv insists it will not surrender regions still under Ukrainian control, while the Kremlin continues to demand that any peace deal include territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine.
Speaking after a meeting in Paris with French president Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine’s sovereignty and robust security guarantees remain non-negotiable priorities. Macron stressed that no peace plan is yet finalised and insisted that any proposal must include European input, particularly on matters such as frozen Russian assets, Ukraine’s EU accession prospects, and long-term security arrangements.
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin is scheduled for Tuesday (2) afternoon, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The encounter comes shortly after Russia claimed to have captured the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk and the border town of Vovchansk in the northeast.
Ukrainian officials have not confirmed these losses, and open-source analysts report that neither location is fully under Russian control. Nonetheless, Russia released video footage of Putin visiting a command post at the weekend, praising recent advances in what he called an “important area.”
The diplomatic push also follows Witkoff’s conversations with UK prime minister Keir Starmer, Zelensky, and Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov. European leaders also joined the Zelensky-Macron meeting virtually to coordinate positions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US is “very optimistic” about progress on the peace plan, though she declined to share details. Last week, Putin acknowledged seeing a draft version of the US proposal, calling it a potential “basis” for an eventual agreement. However, following amendments requested by Kyiv and European governments, Kremlin officials have since cast doubt on whether Moscow will accept the revised document.
The initial plan, circulated in November, drew heavy criticism in Ukraine and Europe, not only for leaning toward Russia’s demands but also for specifying how billions in frozen Russian assets in Europe should be handled and for outlining trade provisions for Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that Moscow appears interested only in negotiations that deliver additional gains, cautioning that pressure may fall disproportionately on Ukraine, something she said would not serve European or global interests. Central disputes continue to revolve around territorial integrity and Kyiv’s desire for strong security guarantees, such as NATO membership, which Russia and Trump have both rejected.
