White House Says It Is ‘Very Optimistic’ as Envoy Heads to Moscow for Ukraine Peace Talks
White House declares “very optimistic” breakthrough as Witkoff heads to Putin.
The White House declared Monday that the Trump administration is “very optimistic” about securing a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, confirming that special envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to Moscow for direct talks with President Vladimir Putin following intensive weekend negotiations with Ukrainian officials in Florida.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Trump and his senior team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have invested considerable effort in recent days to halt the nearly three-year conflict. She highlighted Sunday’s “very good talks” with Ukrainian negotiators and described Witkoff’s mission to Russia as the next critical step toward a comprehensive settlement.
Witkoff, joined by Jared Kushner, met Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and other officials both Sunday and Monday. Umerov acknowledged “significant progress” but noted that several key issues remain unresolved, particularly regarding territorial concessions and long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.
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A previous U.S. proposal, initially presented in Geneva without Ukrainian input, reportedly called for Kyiv to withdraw from parts of Donetsk and accept de facto Russian control over Crimea and separatist-held areas in exchange for security arrangements short of full NATO membership. After sharp criticism from Kyiv and European capitals, Washington revised the framework, though details of the updated plan have not been disclosed.
As Witkoff prepares to engage Putin, President Volodymyr Zelensky has intensified consultations with European leaders, stressing that any agreement must involve Ukraine and its European partners and cannot reward Russian aggression. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this position, while NATO foreign ministers gather in Brussels this week without Secretary Rubio’s presence, underscoring the parallel U.S. track outside traditional alliance channels.
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