Witkoff and Kushner Head to Moscow
The White House says it is “very optimistic” as special envoy Steve Witkoff travels to Moscow for a Tuesday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Jared Kushner is also expected to attend, marking the latest U.S. push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said talks were set to begin around 5 p.m. local time.
Progress in Florida Talks
The Moscow meeting follows intensive discussions in Florida between U.S. officials — including Witkoff, Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and a Ukrainian delegation. They worked on refining the Trump administration’s peace proposal after Ukraine raised concerns about the original draft.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration feels “very optimistic,” citing “very good talks with the Ukrainians.”
Mixed Signals From Moscow
Despite diplomatic movement, expectations for a breakthrough remain low. Putin recently doubled down on demands that Ukraine withdraw from territories he claims as Russian and said negotiating with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “pointless.” Russian officials also claimed — without evidence — that their forces seized two contested Ukrainian cities.
Putin spent recent days meeting with military commanders and regional leaders ahead of the talks.
Ukraine Seeks Unity and Security Guarantees
Zelenskyy, not directly involved in the Florida meeting, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and later traveled to Dublin for discussions with Irish leaders. He said European unity remains essential, noting several “tough issues” remain unresolved in negotiations.
Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s delegation, reported “significant progress” in the U.S. meetings but added that some points still need refinement.
Refining the Peace Plan
The weekend talks focused on a revised 19-point proposal crafted after earlier meetings in Geneva. The new draft is a rework of a 28-point plan that alarmed Kyiv and European allies for heavily favoring Russia. Officials have not disclosed whether additional revisions were made before the Moscow visit.
What Comes Next
Tuesday’s meeting marks the sixth Witkoff–Putin encounter this year. While the White House declined to preview expected outcomes, Leavitt said U.S. negotiators have “refined” their proposals and remain hopeful that progress toward a peace agreement can be achieved.
“We feel quite good,” she said, “and we’re hopeful this work can finally come to an end.”
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.