U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced plans to meet with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later this week. They aim to explore a potential peace agreement to conclude the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has lasted nearly four years.
Witkoff expressed some optimism about the current situation, highlighting substantial progress in recent weeks. “A lot of progress has been made in the last six to eight weeks,” he shared. He also mentioned the chance of a peace deal between the two countries, adding that everyone involved desires peace and “feels the time has come.”
In a separate event, President Trump acknowledged that he extended an invitation to Putin to join a peace committee, explicitly stating, “He is invited.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet Trump in Davos on Thursday. Trump commented on the situation, suggesting that both Russia and Ukraine are keen on a deal and they might be “relatively close.” This is actually not the first engagement for Witkoff and Kushner with Putin; a previous five-hour meeting in December did not yield significant outcomes, though.
In Davos, representatives from both the U.S. and Russia converged during the World Economic Forum, where Trump’s envoy also met with Ukrainian and European leaders. They described their discussions as “very positive” and “constructive.” Following the Davos meetings, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, remarked on the constructive dialogue, suggesting a growing understanding of Russia’s position.
Witkoff and Kushner had previous discussions with Zelensky, who seemed hopeful afterward. He praised their constructive dialogue and ongoing efforts to put an end to the war, stating the commitment to ensure effective processes for peace. As February 24th approaches, marking four years since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump has pointed fingers at both Putin and Zelensky, suggesting that delay tactics from either side are hindering progress.
Zelensky has consistently opposed any land concessions in negotiations. Witkoff noted that despite the longstanding debates over territory, discussions on a “land deal” are still ongoing. The Trump administration has been pursuing a peace agreement for over a year now. Although Trump has met with both leaders, these encounters have yet to lead to meaningful advancements in the peace efforts.
