(Washington/Moscow) US President Donald Trump has dispatched special envoys Joshua Witkov and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in hopes of reaching an agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war. However, Trump dismissed reports that Witkov had instructed the Russians on how to present their peace proposal to him.
On Tuesday (November 25), while traveling aboard Air Force One to Florida for Thanksgiving, Trump told reporters that negotiations between the US and Russia/Ukraine were progressing and that Moscow had agreed to some concessions. He did not elaborate further.
Earlier that day, Trump posted on social media that the negotiating parties had "only a few differences left." He also indicated his desire to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "as soon as possible," "provided that an agreement to end the war has been reached or is in its final stages."
A Ukrainian diplomat said that the cession of territory is the main sticking point.
Zelensky: Ready to Advance US Peace Plan
However, speaking to the Voluntary Coalition via video conference on Tuesday, Zelensky said he was prepared to advance the US-backed peace plan and would consult with Trump on contentious issues. He also said the talks should include European allies.
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Zelensky said, "This framework is on the table, and we are prepared to work with the United States to advance it, with Trump's personal involvement."
The US-proposed 28-point peace plan for Russia and Ukraine was revealed last week, including the cession of territory by Kyiv, disarmament, and a commitment to never join NATO. This has raised concerns that the Trump administration might force Ukraine to sign a peace agreement that clearly favors Russian interests. The US and Ukraine held talks in Geneva on Sunday (23rd), and it was reported that the 28-point plan has been reduced to 19 points and modified to be more acceptable to Ukraine.
Trump said that Witkov and Kushner will travel to Moscow next week to meet with Putin. Kushner previously assisted in negotiating the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The Kremlin: The US plan still needs discussion. The Kremlin confirmed the planned visit on Wednesday, stating that while some aspects of the latest US peace plan are commendable, many other aspects still require discussion.
When asked by reporters whether a peace agreement was imminent, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "It's too early to say."
Trump had previously demanded that Ukraine accept the ceasefire plan by Thursday (October 27th), the Thanksgiving holiday. However, he and his aides have abandoned setting a specific deadline and now say they only hope to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
"For me, the deadline is when everything is over," Trump said on Air Force One.
He also urged reporters not to consider the 28-point peace plan as the final solution. "That's just a roadmap, a concept," he said, adding that negotiators are reviewing it point by point and continuously streamlining it.
Bloomberg reported that Witkov, in a phone call with Putin's chief foreign policy advisor Ushakov on October 14th, said they should jointly develop a ceasefire plan for Ukraine and suggested that Putin raise this with Trump. The report said Witkov's suggestions included arranging a call between Trump and Putin before Zelensky's visit to the White House later that week, using the recently reached Gaza agreement as a starting point.
When asked about Witkov's actions, Trump said he hadn't heard the call, but said he wasn't surprised because "that's what dealmakers do." He said, "You know, it's a very standard negotiating style. I think he said the same thing to Ukraine."
Another source familiar with the matter revealed that the US's 28-point peace plan drew on a document submitted to the Trump administration by Russia in mid-January. This informal document outlined Moscow's conditions for ending the war, similar to the terms previously proposed by Russia at the negotiating table, confirming for the first time that this document was a key component of the 28-point peace plan.
