Negotiations on Ukraine Continue with Limited Progress
A lengthy five-hour meeting took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Unfortunately, it didn’t yield any meaningful advancements toward resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow this past Tuesday, following discussions with members of the Ukrainian delegation regarding a revised peace proposal. The Kremlin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, who participated in the talks alongside Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, described the meeting to reporters as “very useful, constructive, and substantive.”
Ushakov noted, “We believe that the crisis cannot be resolved without addressing territorial issues. Thus, these were a major focus of our discussions. We also touched on future economic exchanges between our nations.”
During the meeting, it was reported that the Russian side received four documents from the U.S. delegation, including a detailed 27-item document; however, specifics were not disclosed.
A previously leaked 28-point plan faced criticism from European leaders for being overly pro-Russian, leading to a subsequent revision. Ushakov emphasized that territorial concerns were central to negotiations, with no compromises reached yet.
A senior Russian diplomat stated, “It appears that some of the U.S. proposals are somewhat acceptable, but we still need more discussions. Certain parts aren’t suitable for us, so the conversation must go on.”
The primary hurdle in these negotiations appears to be Russia’s territorial claims, particularly its demand for Ukraine to cede all of Donbas, including areas not currently under military control.
The Institute for the Study of War, a public policy research institute, has noted that due to the conflict, Russian troops have reported advancements into various regions, including Sumy Oblast and Pokrovsk.
Simultaneously, the Joint Forces of Ukraine indicated on Telegram that while Russian forces have gained control over much of Kupiansk, scattered Ukrainian troops remain active in the northern parts.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Rustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, is set to meet with European national security advisers in Brussels. Following that, Umerov, along with Andriy Khnatov, will prepare for discussions with Witkoff in the U.S.
Zelensky remarked, “As always, Ukraine aims to work constructively toward genuine peace. We anticipate further updates on the outcomes from today’s European meeting.”
