US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, arrived in Moscow on Tuesday (December 2) for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a possible solution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The visit is Trump’s latest effort to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
Previous efforts
Trump has tried to broker peace before, including an August summit with Putin in Alaska and a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but no deal has yet been reached.
A leaked US draft of 28 peace proposals last week raised concerns among Ukrainian and European officials. Critics have argued that the proposals are largely in line with Moscow’s key demands, including curbs on Ukraine’s military and Russian control of a fifth of Ukraine’s territory. European powers subsequently offered their own counterproposals.
Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s determination on social media: “Ukraine approaches all diplomatic efforts with the utmost seriousness – we are determined to achieve real peace and guaranteed security. This is exactly the level of commitment that must be forced from the Russian side.”
The reaction of the Kremlin
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin would meet with Witkoff and Kushner, but refrained from commenting on Russia’s “red lines” and noted that megaphone diplomacy was useless, according to Reuters. The envoy was accompanied only by an interpreter.
Putin indicated he was open to discussions, but warned that if Ukraine rejected the deal, Russian forces could advance further. He described the discussions as a preliminary review of proposals rather than a formal agreement.
American envoys arrive in Moscow
According to Reuters, a convoy carrying Witkoff and Kushner arrived in central Moscow from Vnukovo Airport. During the US visit, the envoys met in Miami with Rust Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council, to discuss peace proposals. In Moscow, Witkoff will meet Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy.
Russian demands and European concerns
Russia’s proposed terms include:
-Ukraine will never join NATO
-Caps for the Ukrainian army
-Recognition of Russian control over Crimea, Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson
-Protections for Russian speakers and Orthodox believers
Ukraine rejected the terms as tantamount to surrender, arguing they could leave the country vulnerable to further Russian conquest.
European powers have expressed concern that a pro-Russian peace deal could benefit Moscow economically while threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Current situation
Currently, Russian forces control more than 19% of Ukraine, approximately 115,600 square km, and have made significant territorial advances in 2025. Ukraine and its allies describe the conflict as an imperial-style land grab and warn that a Russian victory could threaten NATO countries.
