Putin Meets Trump Envoy in Moscow for Crucial Ukraine Peace Negotiations,Russian President Vladimir Putin Meets Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday for a crucial round of discussions aimed at moving closer to a potential agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine. The meeting comes after the White House expressed strong optimism about recent negotiations and the growing momentum behind a new peace framework. Steve Witkoff, the United States special envoy, has been deeply involved in the diplomatic push, and he will be joined in Moscow by Jared Kushner, the son in law of President Donald Trump. Kushner has been serving as an outside adviser in the peace effort and has played a significant role in recent talks. Their arrival follows two days of intensive discussions in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, where work continued on adjusting a peace proposal that many had viewed as leaning too heavily toward Russian interests. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the earlier talks as constructive but acknowledged that several difficult matters still need to be resolved. Speaking in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine would not compromise on its sovereignty and that any lasting peace must include strong and reliable security guarantees.
Putin and Trump Envoy Set for High-Stakes Ukraine Talks in Moscow
Zelensky identified the territorial question as the most challenging aspect of the peace process. The Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine surrender areas in the east that remain under Kyiv’s control, a condition Ukraine has repeatedly rejected. Meanwhile, Witkoff held additional meetings with United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Zelensky, and Ukraine’s new chief negotiator Rustem Umerov. Several European leaders also joined the Macron Zelensky session through virtual channels. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the draft deal has been refined significantly and that Washington is hopeful the war may finally move toward a conclusion. Last week, President Putin said he had reviewed the United States proposal and believed it could provide a foundation for future agreement. However, Kremlin representatives later questioned whether the plan would still be acceptable after Ukraine and its European allies pushed for notable revisions. The initial version of the peace proposal alarmed Kyiv and several European governments. Critics said it favored Russian demands and attempted to dictate how frozen Russian assets in European banks should be handled. It also sought to influence Ukraine’s access to European markets.Putin Meets Trump Envoy in Moscow for Crucial Ukraine Peace Negotiations
French President Macron stressed that no complete peace plan currently exists and insisted that any agreement must be shaped with Ukraine and Europe at the center of the process. He added that the issue of territorial concessions can only be decided by Zelensky and that broader questions such as security guarantees and Ukraine’s future in the European Union must involve European partners. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the coming week could be decisive, though she expressed concern that Moscow only engages seriously when offered additional concessions. She said that pressuring Ukraine into surrender would bring neither stability nor justice. The talks in Moscow occur as Russia claims to have taken control of the towns of Pokrovsk and Vovshansk in the east. Ukrainian officials have not confirmed these claims, and independent analysts say neither town is fully occupied.
source:BBC
