President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is traveling to Russia on Monday as negotiations accelerate over a possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
The trip follows a weekend of talks in Florida, where Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials met with a Ukrainian delegation to advance the Trump administration’s peace plan. Key issues, including potential territorial concessions and Ukraine’s long-term security, remain unresolved.
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In a brief social media statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the discussions as “very constructive.”
Attention now turns to Moscow, where Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin officials. A central question — whether Russia is willing to compromise on the most contentious points of the negotiations or maintain a take-it-or-leave-it approach.
One of the thorniest disputes involves control of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Russia has held parts of the territory amid intense fighting.
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Other major sticking points include Ukraine’s future military posture and its aspirations to join NATO. Russia argues that a stronger Ukrainian military near its borders poses a threat, while Ukraine insists it must be able to defend itself.
The White House continues to strike an optimistic tone. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said both sides want the war to end, despite “difficult problems” that remain.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, is in France meeting with European leaders to discuss potential peace terms. His trip comes amid a week of political strain in Kyiv, where corruption scandals involving government officials have drawn renewed scrutiny.
Despite diplomatic momentum, fighting continues. Recent strikes in Ukraine left at least four people dead and dozens injured, according to local reports.
Trump has signaled he wants a resolution to the war within his first year in office. He campaigned on ending the conflict “on day one,” but negotiations have proved far more complex.
