US-Russia Peace Negotiations: Witkoff's Moscow Mission Brings Optimism for Ukraine Conflict Resolution

Witkoff engaged with Ukrainian negotiators on Sunday alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and continued discussions on Monday.

The White House expressed being "very optimistic" about achieving a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as US special envoy Steve Witkoff travels to Moscow for discussions with President Vladimir Putin.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated to reporters, "I think the administration feels very optimistic."

She emphasized that President Donald Trump and his team "have been working diligently on this effort and they genuinely desire to see this war conclude."

"Just yesterday... they conducted very productive talks with the Ukrainians in Florida and now Special Envoy Witkoff is en route to Russia."

Witkoff, a business associate of Trump who has become his international troubleshooter, met with Ukrainian negotiators on Sunday alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and again on Monday.

Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov indicated that the discussions "achieved significant progress" though certain issues remained unresolved.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, while cautiously maintaining relations with Trump, has rejected US-supported suggestions that Ukraine surrender hard-fought territory which Russia has failed to capture.

A US proposal, previously presented to Ukrainian officials in Geneva without their input, would have required Kyiv to withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region while the United States would effectively recognize the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian territory.

The United States would offer certain guarantees to Ukraine in exchange, but these measures would not fulfill Kyiv's aspiration to join NATO, the transatlantic alliance that considers an attack against one member as an attack against all.

Washington modified the original proposal following criticism from Kyiv and European allies, though the current details remain unclear.

Witkoff has previously faced criticism regarding his Moscow visits, where he has engaged in negotiations without the traditional professional diplomatic support typical for US discussions with the experienced Russian leader.

The envoy will be accompanied in Russia by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who has been instrumental in shaping his Middle East diplomatic initiatives.

As Witkoff heads to Russia, Zelensky has been garnering support from European allies.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated alongside Zelensky on Monday that any peace plan can only be finalized with the participation of Ukraine and European powers.

Zelensky cautioned against allowing Russia to "perceive anything it could consider as a reward for this war."

NATO foreign ministers are scheduled to meet this week in Brussels for their annual gathering, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend, instead sending his deputy Christopher Landau.