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Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025
Outside the box.
Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff Heads to Moscow as High-Stakes Ukraine Peace Effort Intensifies
Kremlin confirms visit as the United States advances a wide-ranging peace framework that has drawn concern in Kyiv and Europe
The White House’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to travel to Moscow next week for renewed negotiations on a United States–backed peace framework aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin confirmed through senior adviser Yuri Ushakov.
The planned visit marks a significant escalation in Washington’s diplomatic push, coming only hours after President Donald Trump signaled that Witkoff—and potentially his son-in-law Jared Kushner—could take part in direct talks in the Russian capital.
Witkoff, a longtime business leader entrusted by President Trump with advancing a settlement, is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin for what will be their sixth discussion this year.
Ushakov did not confirm whether Kushner would join but emphasized that Moscow and Washington had reached a preliminary understanding on the timing of the visit.
The upcoming trip follows a week of intense, multi-country negotiations involving American, Ukrainian, and Russian officials in Kyiv, Geneva, and Abu Dhabi after a draft U.S. proposal was leaked.
The initial 28-point document reflected longstanding Russian positions, sparking concern among Ukrainian officials and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold urgent internal consultations.
While Kyiv has reportedly accepted elements of the plan, several core issues remain under debate.
European officials have also voiced objections to concessions that would redefine Ukraine’s security posture.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that no peace effort can rest on unilateral decisions affecting a sovereign European state, underscoring Europe’s unease with any settlement perceived as legitimizing earlier territorial claims.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Moscow still awaits a formal, updated version of the U.S. plan and said the Kremlin would assess whether the revisions preserve the spirit of the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage, where Washington acknowledged several Russian security concerns.
Lavrov signaled that any dilution of those understandings could alter Russia’s willingness to proceed.
Complicating matters further, a leaked October phone call published this week revealed Witkoff encouraging Ushakov to raise a ceasefire proposal directly with President Trump.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, described such exchanges as part of routine negotiations, noting that an effective deal requires persuading all sides to make balanced compromises.
As the next round of talks approaches, both Washington and Moscow aim to determine whether a durable ceasefire is within reach.
The outcome of Witkoff’s visit will influence not only the direction of the conflict but also the broader geopolitical architecture shaping U.S.–Russia–Europe relations.
The planned visit marks a significant escalation in Washington’s diplomatic push, coming only hours after President Donald Trump signaled that Witkoff—and potentially his son-in-law Jared Kushner—could take part in direct talks in the Russian capital.
Witkoff, a longtime business leader entrusted by President Trump with advancing a settlement, is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin for what will be their sixth discussion this year.
Ushakov did not confirm whether Kushner would join but emphasized that Moscow and Washington had reached a preliminary understanding on the timing of the visit.
The upcoming trip follows a week of intense, multi-country negotiations involving American, Ukrainian, and Russian officials in Kyiv, Geneva, and Abu Dhabi after a draft U.S. proposal was leaked.
The initial 28-point document reflected longstanding Russian positions, sparking concern among Ukrainian officials and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold urgent internal consultations.
While Kyiv has reportedly accepted elements of the plan, several core issues remain under debate.
European officials have also voiced objections to concessions that would redefine Ukraine’s security posture.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that no peace effort can rest on unilateral decisions affecting a sovereign European state, underscoring Europe’s unease with any settlement perceived as legitimizing earlier territorial claims.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Moscow still awaits a formal, updated version of the U.S. plan and said the Kremlin would assess whether the revisions preserve the spirit of the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage, where Washington acknowledged several Russian security concerns.
Lavrov signaled that any dilution of those understandings could alter Russia’s willingness to proceed.
Complicating matters further, a leaked October phone call published this week revealed Witkoff encouraging Ushakov to raise a ceasefire proposal directly with President Trump.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, described such exchanges as part of routine negotiations, noting that an effective deal requires persuading all sides to make balanced compromises.
As the next round of talks approaches, both Washington and Moscow aim to determine whether a durable ceasefire is within reach.
The outcome of Witkoff’s visit will influence not only the direction of the conflict but also the broader geopolitical architecture shaping U.S.–Russia–Europe relations.
